Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 March 2022
366. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason County Clare homeowners were omitted from meetings with his departmental officials that included pyrite and mica effected homeowners from counties Donegal and Mayo. [11422/22]
View answerThe Defective Concrete Blocks Working Group which I established, was tasked with a review of issues of concern which had been raised by homeowners in respect of the Scheme, which applies to Mayo and Donegal only. Under the agreed Terms of Reference, one of the areas in scope for review was the issue of "Eligible Homes". This included, homes in the counties of Donegal and Mayo and the potential to extend the Scheme to homes in other local authority areas. Other interested parties sought admittance onto the Working Group but homeowners were restricted to those from counties within the Scheme.
It was considered that homeowners from Donegal and Mayo, who made up 50% of the working group, could adequately represent the views of homeowners who may be affected, regardless of their location. However, it was not the role or responsibility of these homeowner representatives to advocate on behalf of Clare specifically, for inclusion into the existing scheme.
My Department received a submission from Clare County Council, dated 23 July 2021, requesting the extension of the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme to County Clare. A response issued to the Council on 3 August 2021 indicating that my Department would review the submission and it also sought a detailed breakdown of costs associated with the Report. A breakdown of costs associated with the Report was received on 28 September 2021.
In order to progress matters a meeting was held on 9 November 2021 between officials from my Department and Clare County Council to review issues which required further elaboration in order to evidentially support an extension of the defective concrete blocks grant scheme to County Clare. My Department subsequently wrote to Clare County Council on the 6 December, 2021 outlining formally the nature of the clarifications required. Clare County Council undertook to review their submission and address the gaps in evidential data which had been identified by my Department.
My Department received a response with some clarifications from Clare County Council, dated 20 December 2021. It is accepted by Clare County Council in their correspondence of the 20 December that the causative link to actual damage arising from pyrite induced expansion has not been conclusively established in respect of the 5 homes tested to date.
On the 7 February 2022 officials from my Department met with officials from Clare County Council to progress matters. It was confirmed by Clare County Council that samples from five other properties are now being tested in accordance with the I.S. 465 protocol. If evidence of pyrite induced expansion is evident within the blockwork samples taken from these homes and the necessary causative link to the damage within the homes is established, my Department should be in a position to recommend to Government that an extension of the scheme to Clare would be legislated for.
