Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 May 2022
189. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he received a submission from Limerick City and County Council on the pyrite mediation scheme including the home of persons (details supplied); when he will make a determination on the submission that the Limerick City and County Council made; and when it is likely that the new scheme will be in force. [23898/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI brought a Memorandum to Government on an enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme on the 30 November 2021. It included an unprecedented suite of improvements to the current scheme. Government approved the enhanced scheme which it is estimated will cost approximately €2.2Bn.
I aim to bring the required primary legislation to give effect to the enhanced scheme before the Oireachtas in the coming weeks.
My Department recently received a submission from Limerick City and County Council seeking inclusion in the Defective Concrete Block Grant Scheme. This submission is currently being considered. A meeting to discuss the submission and help progress its consideration took place between officials from my Department and the local authority on the 10 May 2022.
The Government in its decision of the 30 November, 2021 on the revised scheme agreed that I may, with Government approval, extend the scheme beyond the counties of Donegal and Mayo to additional counties, where the evidence supports such an extension. I expect that my Department will be in a position to make a recommendation to Government in this regard in the coming weeks.
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. It is a scheme of “last resort” applicable to dwellings, which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave. The full conditions for eligibility under the Scheme are available on the Pyrite Board’s website at www.pyriteboard.ie. The owners of dwellings located within Limerick City and County Council are eligible to apply for remediation works under the scheme.
