Pyrite Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014

Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Questions (672, 673)

Clare Daly

Question:

672. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 342 of 11 March 2014, in relation to the quarries which where identified as possible sources of hardcore, if he will make this information available to the public in view of the fact that a new housing estate has been identified in South Dublin County Council, an area excluded from protection by the Pyrite Resolution Board. [13278/14]

Clare Daly

Question:

673. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will amend the pyrite resolution scheme and legislation regarding mediation scheme and legislation in view of the fact that evidence has emerged of pyritic heave being present in an estate in south Dublin, an area which is presently outside the protection of the scheme. [13279/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 672 and 673 together.

As stated in my reply to Question No . 342 of 11 March 2014, it would not be appropriate to publicly name quarries alleged to be suppliers of hardcore material used in dwellings which may display signs of pyritic damage in the absence of evidence establishing traceability of the hardcore material.

While the Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 does not specify the geographical areas to which the pyrite remediation scheme applies , it does allow for the eligibility criteria for inclusion in the scheme to stipulate specific geographical areas. The scheme as currently devised was made on the basis of the information available to the Board at that time. The Act provides that the scheme may be amended, replaced or revoked as may be required.

Any proposal to amend the scheme is ultimately a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board; however, any such proposal would require detailed consideration of the evidence to support a case for an amendment to the scheme and would have to take cognisance of a number of pertinent factors including the fact that the scheme is one of last resort.