Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 13 July 2021
343. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will acknowledge the submission from the local authority in County Clare that conclusively outlined the presence of pyrite and the prevalence of defective blocks in the random samples across the county. [37600/21]
View answer345. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the direction that has been given by his Department to Clare County Council in respect of the homeowners affected by the pyrite issue; if further information will be provided on the new report that has been requested; the projected timeline for completion of the report; and the level of work required to complete the report. [37602/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 343 and 345 together.
My Department received correspondence from Clare County Council in October 2020, requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Clare. A comprehensive reply was subsequently issued to the Council in November 2020.
My Department informed the Council that before any extension of the scheme can be considered, the same rigorous analysis as that put in place prior to the rollout of the scheme to the counties of Donegal and Mayo would have to be undertaken. Following further discussions between my Department and Clare County Council it was agreed that the local authority would take a lead role in determining, in accordance with the IS: 465 protocol, that issues arising in homes in County Clare are in fact due to the presence of excessive amounts of deleterious materials (mica or pyrite) in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks and secondly quantify the likely extent of the problem in the county.
On receipt of the requested submission from Clare County Council, my Department, in consultation with the Office of the Attorney General and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will give due consideration to the requested extension of the scheme.
