Written answers

Tuesday, 27 January 2015

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Pyrite Issues

Photo of Clare DalyClare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
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529. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the fact that had the BC(A)R 2014 been introduced prior to the building boom in the 1990s to 2008, and been in effect during the boom, the regulations could not have prevented the pyrite disaster; the reason recommendation No.18 of the Pyrite Panel, that the system of independent inspections carried out by the building control officers be strengthened, was not implemented in the BC(A)R 2014. [3622/15]

Photo of Paudie CoffeyPaudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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The Pyrite Panel, convened 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.

The Report of the Pyrite Panel, which was published in July 2012, contained twenty four inter-related recommendations covering a wide range of issues which aimed to provide a framework for the resolution of the difficulties being faced by homeowners affected by pyritic heave and which aimed to reduce the risk of such a problem occurring into the future.

However, in its report, the Pyrite Panel clearly stated that it did not believe the State was responsible for the pyrite problem and concluded that, prior to the identification of pyritic heave, Ireland’s Building Regulations compared favourably with those in the UK and in other jurisdictions and were reflective of the knowledge and experience available at that time in Ireland. Nevertheless, to reduce the risk of such problems occurring into the future, recommendation number 18 recommended that -

- a mandatory certification system be developed for buildings to enhance the existing system of building control;

- the system of independent inspections carried out by building control authorities be strengthened to complement the proposed mandatory certification system; and

- the guidance to building control authorities be reviewed to allow for a more structured inspection process.

These recommendations have been met by the operation of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which came into effect on 1 March 2014, the development of the Building Control Management System (BCMS) and the guidance provided in the Framework for Building Control Authorities by the County and City Management Association.

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