Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 November 2018
613. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his views on whether it is appropriate that an appeal under the pyrite remediation scheme against a decision to refuse would take 694 days to progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49234/18]
View answer614. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of appeals to the pyrite resolution board that were made since the inception of the scheme; the numbers of appeals which were upheld with the property subsequently being included in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49235/18]
View answer616. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the procedure when a resident has had a BCA conducted revealing a DCR of two by a competent engineer on the pyrite list only to have that assessment overruled by the board at a later date meaning the board refuses remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49241/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 613, 614 and 616 together.
The Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provides the statutory framework for the establishment of the Pyrite Resolution Board and for the making of a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented by the Board with support from the Housing Agency. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme which is available on the Board’s website, www.pyriteboard.ie.
The scheme is applicable to dwellings, which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established, in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2017 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. In this regard, it is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2. Dwellings which do not have a Damage Condition Rating of 2 are not eligible to apply under the scheme. This ensures that, having regard to the available resources, the focus of the scheme is on dwellings which are most severely damaged by pyritic heave. I have no proposals to amend this eligibility criterion.
The latest figures available indicate that a total of 2,214 applications have been received under the pyrite remediation scheme. Of the 2,214 applications received so far, 1,767 dwellings have been included in the pyrite remediation scheme and the applicants notified accordingly.
A further 88 applications have been validated and referred to the Housing Agency for the Assessment and Verification Process, while another 215 applications are at the initial Application and Validation Process. 144 applications under the scheme were not successful.
Of the 1,767 dwellings that have been included in the pyrite remediation scheme:
- 146 are at remedial works planning stage,
- 78 are at tender / tender analysis,
- 264 are under remediation, and
- 1,279 are complete.
33 appeals have been made to the Pyrite Resolution Board since the inception of the scheme:
- 3 Appeals were upheld and subsequently included in the scheme,
- 14 Appeals were refused by the Board,
- 10 Appeals were withdrawn by the applicants, and
- 6 Appeals are pending the decision of the Board.
A sum of €30 million was announced under Budget 2018 to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme this year. This allocation will facilitate the remediation of some 430 additional dwellings in 2018.
A sum of €32 million was announced under Budget 2019 to fund the operation of the pyrite remediation scheme next year. This allocation will facilitate the remediation of some 460 additional dwellings and is a clear signal of the continuing importance attached by Government to addressing the issue of significant pyritic damage in private dwellings.
In regard to the other matters raised by the Deputy, in accordance with the provisions of the Act, the Board is independent in the performance of its functions, and as Minister, I have no role in the operational matters pertaining to the implementation of the scheme. The Board may be contacted by phone at Lo call 1890 252842 or by email to info@pyriteboard.ie or alternatively at oireachtasinfo@pyriteboard.ie.
