Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I want thank the Deputies for their contributions to the debate here this evening on this important Bill. I would also like to acknowledge the work and support of Deputies from all sides in House in trying to find a resolution to this appalling problem. Deputies have also mentioned the very important contribution of my friend and colleague, the late Deputy Shane McEntee, made to provide significant support and encouragement, and ultimately contributing enormously to bringing stakeholders together and finding a solution to this issue.

Deputy Cowen and others have suggested that the scale of the problem is understated, and a figure of 10,300 has been mentioned as being the number of dwellings that may be affected. While this figure is consistent with the pyrite report, it cannot be taken in isolation and must be seen in the context of the other figures in the report. In compiling its report, the independent pyrite panel included all dwellings in estates which were identified as having a potential risk to pyrite, irrespective of whether there was any evidence of pyritic damage or not. For example, in 23 estates with 3,250 ground floor dwellings, there was little or no evidence of pyritic damage, but nonetheless those estates were included to ensure that the figures for potential exposure took account of all possible situations.

It is certainly the case that not all dwellings in the estates identified to the pyrite panel as having a potential risk of pyrite problems will manifest pyritic heave, leading to significant damage, and the reasons for this are detailed in the report. They include hardcore material coming from multiple sources, different builders being involved in many of the estates and the fact that some estates were built over a period of time. At the time the pyrite panel undertook its study in March 2012, approximately 1,100 dwellings were remediated or in the course of remediation. It is likely this figure has increased since then. The figure of 1,000 dwellings which are believed to be currently in need of repair is supported by a number of positive indicators including the number of homeowners - approximately 850 - who have registered with the pyrite resolution board to receive an application when the scheme becomes operable, and also the number of homeowners who have applied for the exemption from the local property tax due to pyritic damage which I believe to be approximately 1,000. There is no evidence to support the contention that the figures are massively in excess of those. I was surprised that Deputy Cowen mentioned a figure of 72,000 as a potential number of-----

See this speech in context