Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 September 2022
51. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the broadening of supports for those homeowners impacted by pyrite who are not covered by current schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47314/22]
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.
As matters currently stand, the owners of dwellings located within the counties of Kildare, Meath, Westmeath, Offaly or the administrative areas of Fingal County Council, Dublin City Council, Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown, South Dublin or Limerick City and County Council, are eligible to apply for remediation works under the scheme.
The Programme for Government and Housing for All commit to ensuring that the remediation fund is fully drawn down and that property owners are appropriately supported. In this regard €20m was provided under Budget 2022 to cover the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme and funding will continue in 2023. €186m the total funding provided under the scheme since 2014.
The latest figures available indicate that 3,143 applications have been received under Scheme and, so far, 2,646 dwellings have been included of these the works in respect of 2,454 are complete with the rest at various stages of progress.
Any proposal to amend the scheme is, in the first instance, a matter for the Pyrite Resolution Board and any such proposal would require detailed consideration of the evidence.
