Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy is aware, there was court action in regard to this matter and the Department was exonerated of any particular responsibility. The pyrite symposium to which the Deputy referred was organised by Professor Brian Hawkins, a former member of staff at the University of Bristol. He has an engineering and geological background and has been involved in a number of isolated pyrite-related incidents in the United Kingdom over a number of years. He has also had an involvement with the pyrite problem in Ireland since 2007. Four members of my departmental staff who provide technical and administrative support to the pyrite panel attended the symposium to which the Deputy referred and reported back to the pyrite panel yesterday. In response to a question from a member of the Pyrite Action Group as to whether the knowledge of pyrite was common prior to 2007, Professor Hawkins indicated that it was, referring to several academic papers and a book of his which dealt with pyritic heave. Paul Forde, joint managing director of DBFL Consulting Engineers, gave a presentation at the symposium on his experience of dealing with pyrite problems since 2007. He indicated he was not aware of pyrite prior to 2007 and had misdiagnosed cracking resulting from pyritic heave when he was initially engaged to deal with problems. The general view among engineering professionals is that there was very little knowledge of pyrite prior to 2007. It is not covered in third level engineering courses. Hardcore was seen as a low risk material. The question takes a narrow and selective view of what was said at that symposium.

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