Results 1,461-1,480 of 8,962 for speaker:Pádraig Mac Lochlainn

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: That is enough now. May I ask another question? In terms of-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I thank Mr. O'Connell. I am sorry, as I do not mean to be rude, but there is little time and I have important questions. If any of them cannot be answered, the witnesses might send a detailed written response to the committee. That would be helpful. If they need time to elaborate on an answer but feel that they are not getting enough time, they might send a detailed written response. ...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I appreciate that. This internationally respected expert believes that the pyrite in all of the blocks that he tested was a deciding factor in the devastation caused to those homes. In terms of the review of the-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: He had very little time.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I assure Mr. Forde that I have-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I appreciate that.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Dr. Leemann had little time to speak today, so that is a fair enough point. He produced evidence in a presentation to the European Parliament to the effect that, judging by the blocks that he sampled, pyrrhotite was unfortunately the deciding factor in the devastation. There is a serious concern that pyrrhotite is the dominant issue causing the devastation in Donegal and Mayo. IS 465...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I am sorry. Could I come back in? I have very little time. The foundations have not been tested for pyrrhotite; the blocks were. In 66 of the 77 properties in Donegal, it was not just pyrrhotite, but an appreciable amount of pyrrhotite, that was identified. In a separate survey by Petrolab, which is the lab in Britain conducting these tests, 97 homes that had samples sent to it for...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: I have a number of questions and I would appreciate if the witnesses could make their answers brief. If they need to elaborate, they can provide a written response to the committee, as other members suggested earlier. Mr. Benson has confirmed that the legislation will be silent on the issue of foundations pending the outcome of the NSAI review. If homeowners wish to replace their...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Okay, that can be done.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Yes, if the Bill is enacted as it has been presented. If that is something they want to do, they can do it, but they have to do it on the same footprint. The next question is about quarries. To date, has the State closed down any of the quarries that have been found to have produced defective blocks?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: In terms of the damage threshold, a report has been submitted to the Government and it is deliberating on that. Will the damage threshold be based on a visual examination or core testing?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: So it will be a visual examination-----

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Can Mr. Espey confirm if any foundations in Donegal have been tested so far for any deleterious materials?

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The NSAI is undertaking a review. We were told earlier by Engineers Ireland it would be part of that because it has been asked to assess it. Mr. Benson has confirmed, which is alarming, that the NSAI review could be late next year. The IS 465 underpins the existing grant scheme and this new updated scheme. Under IS 465, we redress families to the tune of billions of euro. This will be big...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: We have an eminent, internationally-respected expert in the field of concrete who has conducted some tests on homes in Donegal. He has found in all of them, unfortunately, that pyrrhotite is the chief offender in terms of the distress and destruction of those homes. He said at this committee today that it would be absolutely prudent to test the foundations and not to invest in partial or...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Let it be said out loud to the country that the cap is €350,000. It is €350,000 net.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: Yes, but the Government's contribution is €350,000 in net terms.

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government: Remediation of Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks Bill 2022: Discussion (23 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: The Deputy is the man who would know.

Written Answers — Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade: Passport Services (22 Jun 2022)

Pádraig Mac Lochlainn: 74. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if a passport will be expedited for a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32891/22]