Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 November 2016
257. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of homes that have been remediated under the pyrite remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36092/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra258. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans for homes that are affected by pyrite but which have been left out of the current remediation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36093/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra259. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his plans to extend and expand the pyrite remediation scheme for homes that failed to reach the high thresholds set down under the previous Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36094/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 257 to 259, inclusive, together.
The latest figures available from the Pyrite Resolution Board indicate that 1,409 applications have been received under the pyrite remediation scheme, of which 1,064 have been approved for inclusion in the scheme as follows:
- 271 are at remedial works planning stage,
- 41 are at tender-tender analysis,
- 35 are at tender decision,
- 241 are under remediation, and
- 476 are complete.
The Pyrite Resolution Board have indicated that applications have been received from 45 developments containing multiple applications, 27 developments with only one application, and 36 single site applications.
The Report of the Pyrite Panel (June 2012) recommended a categorisation system as a means of prioritising pyrite remediation works in recognition of the expensive and intrusive nature of pyrite remediation and the unpredictability of pyritic heave. The independent Pyrite Panel was clear in its view that only dwellings with significant damage due to pyritic heave should be remediated and that it would be unreasonable to expect dwellings not exhibiting such damage to be remediated. Dwellings which have no significant damage but have reactive pyrite in the hardcore should be monitored and only remediated if they display significant damage due to pyritic heave. This remains the position with regard to dwellings which do not display significant pyritic damage.
The relevant provisions of Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 and the eligibility criteria of the pyrite remediation scheme are reflective of the conclusions and recommendations of Panel’s report. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material - Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. 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.
There is no sunset provision in the Act. Where a dwelling, which has a Damage Condition Rating of 1 and is currently not eligible under the scheme, progresses to a Damage Condition Rating of 2, an application can be made at that point in time for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme.
