Written answers

Tuesday, 16 October 2012

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Pyrite Panel Report Implementation

Photo of Patrick NultyPatrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the action he is taking to ensure the implementation of the report of the Pyrite Panel in view of the fact that the September deadline for a construction industry based solution has passed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44321/12]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether there may be more than 850 pyrite affected homes in the State in need of urgent remediation in view of the fact that this figure of 850 only refers to the proposed red category on the report of the Pyrite Panel and that more than 190 homeowners from an area (details supplied) in County Dublin have sent a submission to him urging that all homes with reactive pyrite be remediated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44531/12]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will clarify the definition of significant damage referred to in the red and amber designations in the report of the Pyrite Panel, Section 8.2; if he will also indicate the system that will be put in place in the proposed amber category to conduct the monitoring on an ongoing basis; the way in which this will be paid for; if he will indicate the system that will be put in place to notify homeowners that their claim is included in the category being considered for remediation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44533/12]

Photo of Tommy BroughanTommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the way he intends to continue to identify pyrite affected homes; the person that homeowners should contact if they suspect that their home or development is affected by pyrite now that the Pyrite Panel has completed its work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44534/12]

Photo of Phil HoganPhil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 409, 419, 421 and 422 together.

I met with the Construction Industry Federation, the Irish Concrete Federation, the Irish Insurance Federation, HomeBond and the Irish Banking Federation in July and outlined to them the central role I considered they could play in providing a solution to the pyrite problem. All parties have now submitted their responses to my request for proposals for a voluntary industry led solution for homeowners. The responses are now being evaluated and , together with the relevant recommendations in the pyrite report will inform the developmen t of proposals which will provide for a solution to the pyrite problem.

The Pyrite Panel undertook a desktop study, in conjunction with stakeholder consultation, to establish facts in relation to the potential exposure to pyrite problems. The information was gathered from a number of sources including local authorities, structural guarantee providers, representatives of homeowners, private builders, construction professionals and public representatives and was cross referenced to verify, as far as practicable, its validity. According to the report, approximately 850 dwellings had a claim with a guarantee provider at March 2012. However, it should be noted that not all those claims had been verified. The Pyrite Panel recommended the categorisation of dwellings as a mechanism to determine suitable remediation approaches for pyrite affected dwellings .

It further recommended that d wellings categorised as “red” should be remediated immediately and dwellings categorised as amber, where there is no significant pyrite related damage, should be monitored and only remediated if significant damage occurs. I believe the methodology for remediation recommended by the Pyrite Panel offers a pragmatic and sensible approach. The remediation of dwellings is an expensive and disruptive process and I agree with the view expressed by the Panel that it would be unreasonable to remediate d wellings if they are not exhibiting pyrite related damage.

The testing and categorisation protocol, currently under development by the National Standa rds Authority of Ireland (NSAI), will address the issue of the assessment of damage and the appropriate method for monitoring the amber category.

My Department has set up a dedicated email address , , for dealing with pyrite related queries.

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