Clare Daly (Dublin Fingal, Independent)
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44. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views regarding the issuing of a green certificate for pyrite properties, particularly in cases where remediation has not taken place, as many persons have been unable to sell their properties due to difficulties in receiving certificates. [18304/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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One of the key recommendations of the (June 2012) was the development of a protocol which would facilitate the testing and categorisation of dwellings in order to establish if there is reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material and whether it has caused pyritic heave.

In response to this recommendation, I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and Categorisationwas published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland in January 2013 and provides the means by which dwellings, which may be affected by pyrite can be tested and categorised. In broad terms, the standard sets out a two-step process to facilitate the testing and categorisation of dwellings.

The first step requires that a Building Condition Assessment be carried out; this comprises a desktop study and a visual non-invasive internal and external inspection of a dwelling to establish the presence or absence of visible damage that is consistent with pyritic heave and to quantify the extent and significance of such damage in that dwelling. Damage ratings of 0, 1 or 2 can be assigned to a dwelling under this process.

The results of the Building Condition Assessment will inform whether the second step, i.e. sampling and testing of the sub-floor hardcore material, will be required in order to confirm the presence or otherwise of reactive pyrite. Dwellings which have been tested and the hardcore is shown not to be susceptible to expansion are classified as Category A (i.e. green certificate). These dwellings have a negligible risk of pyrite damage given that testing has demonstrated that the hardcore is not susceptible to expansion; any damage that may be visible in such dwellings is likely to be attributable to other causes.

My Department understands that the National Standards Authority of Ireland has commenced a review of I.S. 398-1:2013 in the light of practical experience since the standard was first introduced in January 2013. This review is now at an advanced stage and a public consultation on proposed revisions to the standard is anticipated shortly.