Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 May 2017
171. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of pyrite free green certificates that have been issued in the past five years by area in tabular form. [24849/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra172. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of persons identified with grade 1 pyrite that changed to grade 2 in 2016. [24850/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 171 and 172 together.
The 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 pyrite remediation scheme is a remedial works scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope to dwellings, which have significant damage attributable to pyritic heave.
All works under the pyrite remediation scheme are completed to the requirements of I.S. 398-2:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material - Part 2: Methodology for remediation works by competent builders and are overseen by design professionals in accordance with the requirements of the Board and the Housing Agency.
At the end of the remediation works, each dwelling is provided with a Certificate of Remediation for Reactive Pyrite in Sub-floor Hardcore Material, which is completed jointly by the relevant builder and the design professional in accordance with Annex B to I.S. 398-2:2013. The certificate confirms that the dwelling has been remediated to the requirements set out in the national standard. A total of 701 dwellings have been completed under the scheme to date and are in the process of receiving certificates of remediation. Where a certificate of remediation has been provided in respect of a dwelling, a green certificate would be neither applicable nor required.
Neither the Pyrite Resolution Board nor the Housing Agency issue green certificates under the pyrite remediation scheme; green certificates relate to the testing of the subfloor hardcore material of dwellings in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. A green certificate is issued by a competent professional in respect of a dwelling where the hardcore is classified as Category A (negligible risk) and is shown not to be susceptible to expansion. Where a homeowner wishes to carry out testing on a dwelling in order to confirm the presence or otherwise of reactive pyrite in the subfloor hardcore material, the standard provides an objective, reliable and robust means by which such a dwelling can be tested and categorised by the homeowner.
With regard to the issue of properties with a Damage Condition Rating of 1, the Board is aware that 11 dwellings, which had a Damage Condition Rating of 1 when their building condition assessments were first completed, and which were refused under the scheme, have now progressed to a Damage Condition Rating of 2; these dwellings have now been included in the pyrite remediation scheme following the submission of new applications.
