Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 9 September 2021
343. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will report on the pyrite remediation scheme; if he will consider properties in County Tipperary for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42241/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe regulations for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme came into operation on 31 January 2020. The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo only, to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks. The Scheme opened for applications at the end of June 2020.
Significant preparatory work was carried out to investigate and quantify the extent of the problem in both Donegal and Mayo and designing a scheme to address the issue. My Department is in ongoing engagement with local authorities and local action groups that are currently within the scope of the scheme and with the relevant local authorities in respect of discussions on requests for an extension of the scheme to other counties.
My Department informed councils requesting admittance to the scheme that before any extension of the scheme can be considered, the same rigorous analysis as that put in place prior to the rollout of the scheme to the counties of Donegal and Mayo would have to be undertaken. There is an opportunity here for the local authority concerned to take a lead role in determining, in accordance with the IS: 465 protocol, that issues arising in homes in County Tipperary are in fact due to the presence of excessive amounts of deleterious materials (mica or pyrite) in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks and secondly quantify the likely extent of the problem in the county.
Such analysis will provide the evidential basis necessary for the consideration of any extension of the scheme. Pending the receipt of and consideration of such analysis it would be premature to consider an extension of the scheme.
