Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 28 April 2021
438. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the status of the work of the Independent Working Group to examine defective housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21309/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra439. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he is considering a wider-reaching comprehensive redress scheme for those whose homes are affected by pyrite but do not qualify for previously existing schemes; if so, the timeline for such a scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21310/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 438 and 439 together.
The Programme for Government sets out a number of commitments in respect of the important policy area of building defects and provides for an examination of defects in housing, having regard to the recommendations of the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing report, "Safe as Houses".
In this regard, my Department has been actively engaging with key stakeholders and I have had several meetings with stakeholder representative groups on this matter.
I appointed Mr Seamus Neely, former Chief Executive of Donegal County Council, to the position of Chair to the independent working group. The Chair will oversee the effective implementation of the group’s terms of reference, which are currently being finalised. The membership of the working group includes representatives, with relevant expertise and experience, from Engineers Ireland, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland, the Society of Chartered Surveyors of Ireland, the Public Sector, the Local Authority Sector, the Legal Sector, the Department of Finance, Construction Defects Alliance and Apartment Owners Network. The inaugural plenary working group meeting was held at the end of March and the working group met again last week.
In regard to the working group’s deliberations, the group will seek to engage with a range of interested parties, including homeowners, public representatives, local authorities, product manufacturers, building professionals and industry stakeholders, among others to examine the issue of defects in housing and report to me on the matter. Arrangements in regard to the consultation with relevant parties will be agreed by the working group in due course.
In regard to pyrite, the pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” for affected homeowners who have no other practical option to obtain redress and is limited in its application and scope. The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme which is available on the Pyrite Resolution Board’s website, www.pyriteboard.ie. There are no proposals to provide for further financial assistance outside of the scheme.
