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Pyrite Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 15 January 2019

Tuesday, 15 January 2019

Ceisteanna (58, 85)

Louise O'Reilly

Ceist:

58. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the action he plans to take to help homeowners in Fingal who require remediation work for their homes due to the contamination of concrete blocks with pyrite and mica; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1217/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Clare Daly

Ceist:

85. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government his plans to expand the pyrite scheme to support homeowners with evidence of mica contamination in blocks in north Leinster and beyond; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1187/19]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 58 and 85 together.

Neither I, nor my Department, are aware of any existing issue that has emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in the Fingal area.

As you are aware, an Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks was established by my Department in 2016, and its terms of reference were limited to the investigation of the problems that have emerged in the concrete blockwork of certain dwellings in Counties Donegal and Mayo.

In 2017, the report of the Expert Panel was published and included eight recommendations, which my Department is actively progressing. Further to recommendation 1 of the report of the Expert Panel, a standardised protocol was published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) on 13 November 2018 and is available at www.nsai.ie.

This standard can be used by homeowners anywhere in the country, including Fingal, to assess and categorise the damage in properties where the concrete blocks are suspected to contain the minerals mica or pyrite and it will inform the course of action in relation to remedial works for all such affected properties.

Previously, there was no common way for engineers or homeowners to assess the damage caused by defective concrete blocks, in order to decide what, if any, remedial work could be carried out. It is important, however to note, that in general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved: the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme.

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