Michelle Mulherin (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Fáilte. I welcome the Minister of State. My request is simple in many ways. I ask that the local property tax, LPT, exemption that exists in Leinster in respect of homes affected by pyrite be extended to cover homes in Mayo that are similarly affected and those in Donegal affected by problems with mica. An expert report on concrete blockwork in homes in Mayo and Donegal was published in June. This was commissioned by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. This is the first official recognition that there is a serious problem with the deterioration of blockwork in houses in Mayo and Donegal such that it can cause major structural problems and even structural collapse of houses in due course. This is a serious problem. When the report was issued, realisation dawned on many people about the seriousness of the problem of having pyrite or mica in homes, the devastation that both can cause to properties and the cost involved in respect of remedial work.

The report estimates that approximately 345 private houses and 17 social houses in Mayo are affected. The estimate for Donegal is that between 1,200 and 4,000 properties are affected by mica. I think many more houses in Mayo are affected because even since the publication of the report, I have had people approached me about this matter. I also believe there is a significant problem with commercial properties. This problem is widespread and we need to get to the bottom of it. The property tax exemption that obtains in Leinster in respect of houses affected by pyrite is designed to give tax relief to people whose houses have pyrite-heave - an issue relating to pyrite in foundations. The problem with pyrite in Mayo and mica in Donegal relates to the blockwork. It is described differently. The redress board that deals with the owners of houses with pyrite problems in Leinster does not cover those affected in Mayo because a different type of pyrite issue occurs and different remedial works are required. It is only right that the exemption in question be extended to the affected home owners in Mayo and Donegal. These houses are probably worth nothing at the moment other than for the site value. Who would buy a site affected by pyrite or mica? People cannot do anything with their houses right now, which is a massive headache.

I ask that common sense prevail. There is official recognition of the problem on the part of the State by virtue of the report. Can we now have what, to me, should logically follow, namely, an exemption? Will provision be made for this in the Finance Bill, by means of regulation or in whatever way the Minister of State and Minister for Finance see fit? The issue of a redress scheme relates to the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, and the Minister for Finance, Deputy Donohoe. Money is required in order that people might be given financial assistance to enable them to fix their houses. Such assistance has already been provided in Dublin. How are the negotiations between the Departments going? When might there be an answer to my request, which I have made on a couple of occasions, to have a redress scheme set up? It would be nice, going into Christmas, if we could give people some positive news because it is a depressing vista for those affected by this serious problem.