Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 7 July 2016
118. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to set out in tabular form the number of properties which entered into the pyrite remediation scheme with category 2 diagnosis following visual inspection from an engineer, and where the diagnosis was later reversed to category 0 following sample core testing prior to remediation taking place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20325/16]
View answerThe pyrite remediation scheme, which was first published by the Pyrite Resolution Board in February of 2014, was developed having regard to the relevant provisions of the Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 and the recommendations set out in the Report of the Pyrite Panel (June 2012). The full conditions for eligibility are set out in the scheme. It is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment, carried out by a competent person in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol, indicating a Damage Condition Rating of 2.
As set out in the scheme, each application must first be validated by the Pyrite Resolution Board which involves an assessment of the application against the relevant eligibility criteria, and may include an audit of the Building Condition Assessment. Following validation, the application is referred to the Housing Agency for the assessment and verification stage which involves confirmation that the damage recorded in the Building Condition Assessment in respect of a dwelling is attributable to pyritic heave. Damage verification may be based on an individual dwelling or on associated dwellings. Associated dwellings may be verified on the basis of comparable damage and/or earlier tests with similar results.
My Department understands from the Pyrite Resolution Board that no dwellings have been excluded from the pyrite remediation scheme following the completion of the assessment and verification stage by the Housing Agency.
