Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 26 September 2012
119. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the outcome of the discussions with the key stakeholders identified in the pyrite report, including the CIF, IIF, IBF, ICF and Homebond, to come up with a solution to the pyrite problem. [40823/12]
View answer120. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment; Community and Local Government if he will give a commitment that all homes with reactive pyrite will be systematically remediated. [40824/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together.
Following receipt of the pyrite report, I met with the key stakeholders outlining my position to them in the context of what I expected from them to progress solutions for homeowners. I set a deadline of the end of September for them to come back to me with credible proposals. In setting this tight deadline I was conscious of the need to make progress as quickly as possible having regard to the difficult situation faced by affected homeowners. I have recently written to the stakeholders reaffirming my position as outlined in earlier discussions with them and impressing on them the need to achieve positive outcomes for homeowners.
I believe the recommendation in the pyrite report that it would be unreasonable to expect dwellings not exhibiting damage to be remediated simply because there is pyrite in the hardcore is a sensible approach and this position is supported in the High Court judgement of Mr Justice Charleton in the case of JEC-v-Irish Asphalt, on appeal to the Supreme Court. The pyrite report details the basis for arriving at this decision. I believe the approach suggested by the Pyrite Panel to classify the dwellings concerned into red, amber and green is a practical solution to prioritise the remediation of affected dwellings.
