John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)

Responsibility for the elaboration of standards and for the certification of products rests with the National Standards Authority of Ireland, NSAI. When the issue of pyrite arose, and following an intervention by my Department, the NSAI reconvened its aggregates panel to give urgent consideration to the publication of additional guidance on appropriate protocols for testing under-floor infill material.

The NSAI published a new standard recommendation which is a definitive amendment to an existing standard recommendation of 2004 on aggregates. This standard recommendation came into effect on 7 December 2007 and the intention is that it will address the quality standards of new homes in so far as problems relating to pyrite are concerned.

The national building regulations set out the legal requirements for the construction of new buildings, including houses, and for extensions and material alterations to existing buildings. The related technical guidance documents provide technical guidance on how to comply with the regulations. In the case of pyrite, the relevant regulations are part C dealing with site preparation and resistance to moisture and part D dealing with materials and workmanship. I have set a process in train to incorporate further guidance on the new NSAI standard in technical guidance document C. I am awaiting the conclusion of a mandatory three-month consultation period with the European Commissioner and the Commission under Internal Market rules before its formal adoption.

Strengthened enforcement powers were given to building control authorities on 1 March 2008 following commencement of the relevant sections of the Building Control Act 2007.

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