Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome that final commitment from the Minister. Unfortunately, given the history of this horrendous disaster for many thousands of householders, it is incumbent on the Government to be prepared to take vigorous action.

With regard to the Minister's plans for property tax or the household charge for next year, and for budget 2013, recommendation No. 13 in the report of the pyrite panel is that pyrite-affected homes be exempt from the property tax until such time as those homes are remediated. Does the Minister agree with that recommendation? This exemption, while not a solution, should be granted immediately. Pyrite-affected developments should be treated as unfinished estates, which is what they are. Therefore, it is reasonable that there would be an exemption in this regard. Is it the Minister's intention to provide for that this year and with regard to any future property tax?

Can the Minister give us an update on the NSAI's examination of pyrite testing standards, which he mentioned briefly in his response, and on the development of a remediation method statement for the certification of pyrite homes? As the Minister will accept, it is key for the future that householders will be able to provide a certificate to a purchaser stating the house was remediated fully and is in good condition. This is a key part of the Minister's responsibility. Is the Minister going to provide up-front funding to any proposed remediation scheme to reflect the State's failings in this matter? He has said it is not the State's responsibility, but the local authority and the State were there when these huge building programmes were undertaken, when we were building perhaps one third of the total output of countries such as the United Kingdom and approximately four or five times the output of countries such as Sweden, and when regulations were not being implemented.

A recent Fingal County Council notice sent to me, 216A, related to the quarry at Bay Lane, Kilshane, Dublin 11. Astonishingly, it found that no further action on planning grounds was required by the owners, Irish Asphalt Limited. Fingal County Council sent me a copy of that finding, but did the Minister receive a copy of it? As the Minister is aware, there was consultation on the Fingal quarries recently, but the quarry at Bay Lane, Kilshane, was the main interest.

I welcomed the Minister's announcement of an information helpline and an e-mail contact address for families affected by pyrite. How have people used those contacts and has the Department been able to help them?

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