Seán Fleming
Question:66. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress that has been made on the remediation process for homeowners affected by Pyrite [46161/12]
View answerTuesday, 23 October 2012
Questions (66, 74)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:74. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on the implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Pyrite Panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46108/12]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 74 together.
Following receipt of the pyrite report in June, I requested the key stakeholders urgently to consider the relevant recommendations in the report and respond to me with their proposals by the end of September. While I have received the responses, they do not provide any definitive proposals that would lead to a voluntary solution for homeowners. I have now asked my Department to finalise arrangements and terms of reference for the establishment of the Resolution Board as envisaged in the pyrite report as quickly as possible and to engage with the relevant stakeholders in finalising these details. This will give a final opportunity for all those directly or indirectly involved to play a key role in the remediation programme and to contribute to the cost of its resolution. I am giving the stakeholders 10 days in which to respond and in the event that they do not respond positively in this timeframe, I will ask Government to sanction the necessary steps to impose the type of levy recommended in the pyrite report and in that way to provide finance for the resolution.
Work is progressing on the implementation of a number of other recommendations in the report. I have asked the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) to develop a testing and categorisation protocol to facilitate the categorisation of dwellings and a method statement for remediation work. I understand that this work is progressing. Recommendations in relation to the development of a mandatory certification system for buildings and a registration process for builders are currently being dealt with under the Building Control Reform programme.
Question No. 67 answered with Question No. 55.