Dessie Ellis
Question:258. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to extend pyrite remediation to deal with cases of muscovite mica. [31734/16]
View answerTuesday, 25 October 2016
Questions (258)
Written answers
An expert panel on concrete blocks was established by my Department in April of this year to investigate the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Donegal and Mayo. The panel have the following terms of reference:
(i) To identify, insofar as it is possible, the numbers of private dwellings which appear to be affected by defects in the blockwork in the Counties of Donegal and Mayo;
(ii) To carry out a desktop study, which would include a consultation process with affected homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals, testing laboratories, industry stakeholders and other relevant parties, to establish the nature of the problem in the affected dwellings;
(iii) To outline a range of technical options for remediation and the means by which those technical options could be applied; and
(iv) To submit a report within six months.
The expert panel on concrete blocks has met on five occasions since it was established and is continuing to receive and review the information that has been made available to it in relation to the problems that have emerged in affected homes in Donegal and Mayo. A substantial volume of information has now been provided by affected homeowners in both counties, as well as from Donegal and Mayo County Councils, which will be of particular assistance in completing the necessary research to inform the preparation of the panel's report.
Further meetings have taken place with key stakeholders, including affected homeowners, the elected members of Donegal and Mayo County Councils, local authority officials, industry bodies and additional meetings are anticipated with other interested parties before the panel conclude their research into the problems that have emerged in the affected homes.
Ultimately, the panel's terms of reference aim to establish the facts behind the problems that have emerged in Donegal and Mayo and to outline technical options for addressing the problems identified in order to assist affected homeowners. It is anticipated that the panel will complete their report before the end of the year and, in this regard, I will await the outcome of the panel's report before considering what further actions may be required to assist the parties directly involved in reaching a satisfactory resolution to the problems that have emerged in the two counties.