Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to people in counties Meath, Cavan and Monaghan affected by pyrite the assistance available; the steps being to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5675/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The independent Pyrite Panel which I established in September 2011 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 its report , the pyrite problems appear to be confined to five local authority areas, Dublin City, Fingal, Meath, Kildare and Offaly. The Panel was not informed of pyrite problems in Cavan or Monaghan.

I have recently received Government approval for the imposition of a levy on both the quarrying and insurance sectors as a mechanism to provide the funding necessary for a remediation scheme. The imposition of these levies will require legislation and I am committed to having the legislation published and enacted in the shortest timeframe possible.

The Government also approved the establishment of a Resolution Board as recommended in the pyrite report. I have previously announced the appointment of the Chairman and I will announce the full Board membership shortly . The role of the Board will be to oversee the operation of the remediation scheme and to ensure that the public interest, and the interest of the affected homeowners, is well served.

The Construction Industry Federation, the Irish Concrete Federation and HomeBond have agreed to establish an entity for the purposes of operating the remediation scheme. A number of financial institutions have agreed in principle to make initial loan funding available to facilitate the early commencement of pyrite remediation work and it is intended that the entity will engage with those institutions in relation to the loan facility. Both the Chairman of the Resolution Board and I are keen for the Board to commence its work as soon as possible and there will be no undue delay on my part or that of my Department in putting the necessary structures in place for a remediation scheme.