Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013
721. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government noting that petrographic testing of underfloor fill in houses damaged by pyrite induced heave, has in general been completed in the UK testing costing up to 1,000 per house, if he will consider establishing facilities for such tests as part of the state laboratory facilities. [1967/13]
View answerI am mindful of the need for cost effective testing to be available to homeowners, as indeed was the independent pyrite panel. In its report, the panel recommended the development of a testing and categorisation protocol which would be comprehensive but, importantly, would be cost effective. In asking the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) to develop this protocol, I advised it of the requirement for the protocol to be comprehensive and cost effective.
My Department understands that the State Laboratory’s testing facilities and equipment are quite different to those which would be required for the testing of stone but also understands that discussions have taken place between one of the stakeholders and a third level institution with a view to providing such facilities. I would welcome this development and hope that it would lead to the provision of cost effective testing facilities in Ireland.
