Mr. Conor O'Donnell:

It is Conor O'Donnell who is speaking. I am the secretary of the Mayo Pyrite Action Group. I am a Mayo homeowner who is currently rebuilding my home. Like all affected homeowners, I am finding that the new enhanced scheme still falls well short of what is required to rebuild my home. We are realising that many of the enhancements are just delaying mechanisms. The issues could easily and quickly be rectified if the will to do so at Government level was there.

The "Your Questions Answered" document states "the decision from Government is that existing applicants under the previous grant scheme will not be disadvantaged from being early movers". This is not the case. Those of us who hit the €420,00 cap and who are rebuilding our homes are being penalised. Testing fees of up to €7,000, which were paid by homeowners, are being taken from the current grant allocation. New joiners to the scheme do not have this cost. We also lose out on €15,000 for accommodation and €5,000 for storage. A homeowner joining the scheme now would not incur any testing fees.

SEAI grants have effectively stalled. Mayo homeowners are trying to engage but to no avail. Nobody at the SEAI knows what we are entitled to, despite the SEAI website stating "Grants are available to these homeowners under the same criteria as all other homeowners who are not affected with DCB". The nearly zero energy building regulations apply to rebuilding social housing but pyrite and mica homeowners are expected to rebuild using archaic standards, some of them 17 years old.

The building condition assessment and damage threshold is an issue of grave concern as it deprives homeowners of the correct scientific solution, which is option 1 demolition, and access to an independent engineer. This is forcing homeowners to remain in damp, unstable and crumbling homes with no light at the end of the tunnel. While we understand that prioritisation is needed, this is putting great mental strain on families. Nobody should have to go through this through no fault of their own.

The Department states "the DCB grant scheme is not a compensation or redress scheme" but, rather, it is a grant scheme of last resort put in place by the Government to voluntarily assist homeowners. Its primary aim is not to restore value or investment, nor to fund the full cost of rebuilding damaged homes but, rather, to ensure that homeowners can remain living in their homes. In that case, why are people still struggling to afford rebuilding their homes? There is still nothing in place with the banks as they will not lend against zero equity homes. Will members please tell me whether anything has been agreed with the banks regarding additional borrowing, remortgaging of remediated homes, insurance of remediated homes or, indeed, the selling of remediated homes under any of options 1, 2, 3 or 4? We know that engineers can only sign off on work they have completed. They acknowledged that in the matter of a home where an option other than full demolition was undertaken, the engineer engaged by the homeowner would not be signing off on retained blocks.

A Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, SCSI, review is badly needed as we cannot afford to rebuild our homes at today's rates. In February 2024, the SCSI revealed that house rebuilding costs had increased nationally by an average of 12%. The increase of 21% in 2022 and 2023 is still in place. The Department has requested updated costs and upon receipt of the report will consider recommended changes. We have also been informed by the Department that a 10% increase is what we will get, if an increase is given. Has this review been done by the SCSI and when can we expect to receive an update? Mayo Pyrite Action Group has been in place since 2013. Every time we ask these questions, it seems we are asking them for the first time. I ask for some continuity. I also ask members to familiarise themselves with the issues we have outlined. This matter can and must be resolved. I thank the committee.