Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 19:

In page 9, between lines 16 and 17, to insert the following: “(16) The Minister shall request the National Standards Authority of Ireland to complete the review of I.S. 465:2018, in a timely manner and as far as is possible to ensure that that review is completed in time for the opening of the Defective Concrete Block Scheme as provided for in this Act.”.

The Minister and his officials explained both at the special hearings of the committee and on Second Stage that the NSAI had been asked to undertake a more comprehensive review of industry standard, IS 465, which underpins the current scheme. We are all in support of that and want that to happen as quickly as possible. There is a genuine problem here, which is that we were informed by the Minister’s officials at the Oireachtas committee hearings two Thursdays ago that the NSAI review of IS 465 is delayed. It might not happen and it might not be concluded until the latter end of next year. Again, that means if they meet that deadline, and assuming the officials take a period of time to get the regulations right, it could be the latter end of next year or early 2024 before any change with respect to pyrrhotite in particular but also potentially foundations and other matters. Again, that makes no sense.

I fully accept the NSAI is independent and one cannot interfere with its work. I am asking the Minister to try to do everything he can to ensure that it completes that work in as far as is possible in parallel with the commencement and opening of this scheme. That is the ideal for the homeowners in resolving many of the issues we raised here. I am appealing to the Minister to use his good offices through this amendment to ensure that the reviews of IS 465 and the regulations are expedited as a matter of urgency and, in preference, in parallel with the opening of this scheme.

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