Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 January 2015
514. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of building condition assessments with damage condition rating 2 received by the Pyrite Resolution Board; and the number of houses remediated since the Pyrite Resolution Board began accepting the BCAs in August 2013. [3514/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra515. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an estimate of the number of pyrite damaged houses which will be remediated using the funds provided by the taxpayer in the last and current budget; the additional funds that will be made available to remediate houses damaged by pyrite heave; and his views on the surplus of €25 million declared by a company (details supplied). [3515/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 514 and 515 together.
The Pyrite Resolution Board commenced accepting applications from eligible homeowners for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme on 26 February 2014. As matters stand , the Board has received in the order of 627 completed applications of which some 597 have a Building Condition Assessment with a damage condition rating of 2. A total of 485 applications have been validated by the Board and forwarded to the Housing Agency for the verification stage; of those 295 have now been approved by the Board for inclusion in the scheme and the applicants have been notified. Applications for dwellings not yet included in the scheme are being processed as quickly as individual circumstances allow.
A pilot project involving the remediation of 5 dwellings was completed in the latter half of 2014. I understand that a works contract for 20 houses has recently been awarded and is due to commence shortly while procurement is underway in relation to a further 4 developments involving some 73 dwellings. In addition, I understand that tenders are due to issue on a further 49 dwellings before the end of this month. In light of the build-up of projects under the scheme, an allocation of €10 million is being provided for 2015.
HomeBond is a private limited company providing structural guarantees for new houses and, since November 2008, the HomeBond Insurance scheme is underwritten by Allianz Insurance. As is the case for any private company, its operations are a matter for its management and Board of Directors. My Department understands that HomeBond Insurance Services Ltd is regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland. As a private company, my Department has no role or function in its operations.
However, in the context of the pyrite remediation scheme, an agreement was concluded between the Pyrite Resolution Board and HomeBond in June 2014 on the type and level of services which HomeBond will provide to the Board. My Department understands that HomeBond will contribute technical and project management services, under the direction and supervision of the Pyrite Resolution Board and/or the Housing Agency, to the value of €2 million.
