Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 17 June 2021
284. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to provide additional financial support under the pyrite remediation scheme to help homeowners cover the cost of initial investigative tests for pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32533/21]
View answerThe 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 provisions of the Act apply only to dwellings affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave consequent on the presence of reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore material and not to damage arising in any other circumstance, e.g. such as pyrite in concrete blocks.
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. There are no proposals to provide for further financial assistance outside of the scheme and any proposal to amend the scheme is, in the first instance, a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board.
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.
