Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Unlike some Deputies who said that this was not a new problem in their constituencies and counties, it is a problem that has only manifested itself relatively recently in Clare. I acknowledge the approach that the Department has taken to the problem in Clare. I raised the matter in the Dáil at the end of last year. The Minister of State, Deputy Noonan, took that Topical Issue debate and invited an engineering report from Clare County Council.

I wish to acknowledge the work Clare County Council has done. It is in the process of completing that report. It did a study of five houses in County Clare and found pyrite, not mica, in all of them. That report is near completion. Through its investigations, it also discovered two estates in County Clare, which may have been built with blocks containing pyrite. One may ask how that emerges out of nowhere. Similarly to the houses, this has emerged after the insulation was carried out in the block cavity because when there is less air circulation, the problem manifests itself. That is not to suggest the problem is caused by insulation. Not at all, but it sometimes manifests after the houses are insulated. It is estimated there are at least 50 private houses and there may be up to two council-built estates in County Clare in which pyrite blocks were used.

From being a new problem, it is becoming a big problem. I compliment Sinn Féin on bringing this motion and I ask the Minister of State to seriously consider fully compensating homeowners and then going after the manufacturers. As Deputy O'Donoghue pointed out, some of these block manufacturers are large, multinational corporations. It may well be the State is in a position to go after them but individual homeowners are, literally, putting their houses on the line in going after these huge corporations, because they will fight at every step of the way. That is, unfortunately, how commercial litigation works.

I ask the Minister of State to step in, carry out the works for the homeowners and then go after the quarry owners.

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