Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 20 September 2023
511. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish with the National Standards Authority of Ireland when it will issue a clear directive on the acceptable levels of deleterious materials and compressive strength in concrete blocks that will allow sellers and buyers of second-hand homes to have full clarity on their transaction. [40104/23]
View answer512. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will establish with the National Standards Authority of Ireland when it will issue a clear directive on the acceptable levels of deleterious materials and structural strength in concrete foundations to assist homeowners who have to rebuild their homes under the enhanced defective block grant scheme. [40105/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) as Ireland’s Official standards body, created and developed the appropriate standards that currently apply in determining whether a building has been damaged by concrete blocks containing certain excessive amounts of deleterious materials (such as mica). That standard is I.S. 465 and dates originally from 2018 with a further amendment made in 2020.
The Government decision made in November 2021 relating to the enhanced Defective Concrete Block (DCB) Scheme called for a number of technical reviews to be completed in parallel with the commencement of the enhanced scheme. The NSAI technical reviews comprise:
• a review of the I.S. 465:2018+A1:2020 Standard and its application, including a consideration of the potential impact of deleterious materials on foundations and the consideration of deleterious materials other than pyrite or mica, e.g. pyrrhotite;
• a review by the NSAI Masonry Committee of Irish Standard for Concrete Blocks (including aggregates);
• a review of the pumped cavity wall insulation on cavity wall construction and within homes susceptible to or impacted by defective concrete blocks.
I have asked the NSAI to identify the necessary research required to support the review of the applicable standards, as a matter of priority. An interagency Defective Concrete Blocks – Technical Matters Steering Group has been established to support and inform the NSAI Standardisation Program about technical issues. The Steering Group includes representatives from the Department, NSAI, Geological Survey Ireland, Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, and the Housing Agency. The Steering Group has agreed on a process to specify, procure, fund, and manage research projects. In this context, Geological Survey Ireland has established a procurement framework for the Provision of Laboratory Analysis Services to support Geological Survey Ireland's "Irish Construction Materials" Project: Concrete Products. Geological Survey Ireland project manages research projects under the framework.
Research proposals developed by the relevant NSAI Technical Committees, including research to investigate pyrrhotite oxidation in concrete blocks and the potential impact of deleterious materials on foundations, have been commissioned and are making good progress.
My Department and NSAI are also working closely with Construct Innovate - Ireland's National Research Centre for Construction Technology and Innovation on several research topics to inform the technical advancement of standards relevant to concrete blocks.
As the relevant research progresses and interim learnings are evaluated, the NSAI will consider the possibility of issuing interim guidance, should this be considered useful or proportionate, prior to the publication of any revised standard by the NSAI.
