Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
622. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is considering requesting National Standards Authority of Ireland to conduct reviews of the masonry block industry standard and the aggregate industry standard. [39751/22]
View answerArising from the Government Decision on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme in November 2021, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) was tasked with delivering a programme of work to address the following technical items:
- A review of I.S. 465:2018+A1:2020 - Assessment, testing and categorisation of damaged buildings incorporating concrete blocks containing certain deleterious materials and its application.
- A review by NSAI Masonry Committee of the Irish Standard for Concrete Blocks (including aggregates).
- A review of the impact of pumped cavity wall insulation on cavity wall construction and within homes susceptible to or impacted by defective concrete blocks.
NSAI does not operate under the auspices of my Department, it is an autonomous body under the aegis of the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment, and as such detail on its programme of work is a matter for the NSAI.
However, an interagency Defective Concrete Blocks – Technical Matters Steering Group has been established to support and inform the NSAI Standardisation Program in relation to technical issues. The steering group includes representatives from NSAI, Geological Survey Ireland, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and representatives from my Department.
