Safety works already underway on defective homes around the country could stall, as the government considers its response to a major new report on the issue.

The report of the working group commissioned by Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien is due to be published this afternoon.

The report is expected to find that the Celtic Tiger builders responsible for the defective homes cannot be made to pay for the remediation works.

It will also warn that the works will cost billions of Euro and take years to complete.

The Government was considering an industry levy to help pay for the repairs; however, the report will recommend against it.

It will suggest that it is not feasible to impose penalties on individual firms and note that a general levy will target firms that were not involved in the builds.

On The Pat Kenny Show this morning, said the findings could delay remediation works already underway – with builders waiting to see what level of State support is provided.

“There are up to 34,000 apartments where works for safety - this is key; for fire safety - are actively being considered or are underway,” he said.

“The working group is seriously concerned that those works may stall or be deferred.”

The final bill for all the works is expected to be between €1.5bn and €2.5bn.

Mr Montague said the Government must ensure that any future settlement is retrospective – so works that have already begun will continues.

“The Government has to do that in this year’s budget,” he said.

“Why? Because if we wait until the final scheme is in place, that could take 18 months to two years and in the meantime - and I know this from phone calls and emails I’m getting - works will stall.”

The report is due to be published this afternoon.

You can listen back to the full interview on The Pat Kenny Show here:

Main image is a file photo of homes under construction.