Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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583. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in relation to the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme, if he will ensure that homeowners are not left out of pocket at any stage and that the €6,000 costs associated with moving and alternative accommodation which they are entitled to is made available as the expenses are incurred, or on a monthly basis, as no family could be without this money for months. [37083/14]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The pyrite remediation scheme applies to dwellings which are affected by significant damage attributable to pyritic heave in the counties of Kildare, Meath, Offaly and the administrative areas of Fingal County Council and Dublin City Council. The scheme is one of “last resort” and to be included in the scheme applicants must be able to demonstrate to the Pyrite Resolution Board that they have no practicable options other than under the scheme to secure the remediation of their dwelling.

As set out in the scheme, each application must first be validated by the Board which involves an assessment of the application against the relevant eligibility criteria, and may include an audit of the Building Condition Assessment. Following validation, the application is referred to the Housing Agency for the assessment and verification stage which involves confirmation that the damage recorded in the Building Condition Assessment in respect of a dwelling is attributable to pyritic heave. The verification stage may involve physical inspection of the dwelling and the testing of the hardcore material.

Once a dwelling has been approved by the Board for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme, following completion of the assessment and verification process, the scheme participant may recoup the vouched cost of the Building Condition Assessment from the Housing Agency, subject to a maximum limit of €500 (including VAT). While the validation, assessment and verification processes, of their nature, take some time to complete, the Board is keen to ensure that there will be no undue delay in the processing of applications.

The scheme also provides for the recoupment of the vouched cost of alternative accommodation, furniture removal and storage subject to limits of €3,000 and €2,500 (inclusive of VAT) , respectively. However, where a scheme participant can satisfy the Housing Agency, in advance, that suitable rental accommodation cannot be obtained for €3,000 or less, the expenses for the accommodation and furniture removal can be combined, subject to the overall limit of €5,500. In addition, earlier payment in part or in whole may be made where a scheme participant can demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Housing Agency, in advance, that payment of these costs on completion of the works would cause financial hardship.

I am satisfied that the scheme provides the necessary flexibility to enable advance payments to be made to scheme participants in respect of alternative accommodation and the removal of furniture where the case for financial hardship has been made to the satisfaction of the Housing Agency.