Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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547. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if there is a cut-off point for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme; his views on whether persons who are resident in known pyrite estates should register now even if they have no visible signs of pyrite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25893/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The independent Pyrite Panel, which was established in September 2011, undertook a desktop study, in conjunction with a stakeholder consultation, to establish certain facts in relation to the potential exposure of pyrite in dwellings. 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.

Seventy four estates were identified to the Pyrite Panel , as possibly having pyrite. At the time of the (June 2012), all of these estates were located in the five local authority areas of Dublin City, Fingal, Kildare, Meath and Offaly, although two estates were subsequently identified in 2014 as having pyrite problems, one each in the administrative areas of Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and South Dublin County Council.

The Pyrite Panel recommended a categorisation system as a means of prioritising pyrite remediation works in recognition of the expensive and intrusive nature of pyrite remediation and the unpredictability of pyritic heave. The Panel was clear in its view that only dwellings with significant damage due to pyritic heave should be remediated and that it would be unreasonable to expect dwellings not exhibiting such damage to be remediated. Dwellings which have no significant damage but have reactive pyrite in the hardcore should be monitored and only remediated if they display significant damage due to pyritic heave.

The Panel’s report provided the overarching framework for the development of the and the ensuing The scheme’s eligibility criteria are reflective of the conclusions and recommendations of that report. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. In this regard, it is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2.

There is no sunset provision in the Act. Where a dwelling, which has a Damage Condition Rating of 1 and is currently not eligible under the scheme, progresses to a Damage Condition Rating of 2, an application can be made at that point in time for inclusion in the pyrite remediation scheme.

Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal, Sinn Fein)
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548. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if extensions to homes, where the extension has pyrite and the home itself does not, are covered by the pyrite remediation scheme; if not, if he will extend the scheme to cover them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25894/16]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The provides for the making of a by the Pyrite Resolution Board for certain dwellings affected by significant pyrite damage. The pyrite remediation scheme is a scheme of “last resort” and is limited in its application and scope. The scheme is applicable to dwellings which are subject to significant damage attributable to pyritic heave established in accordance with I.S. 398-1:2013 - Reactive pyrite in sub-floor hardcore material – Part 1: Testing and categorisation protocol. In addition, applicants under the scheme must be able to demonstrate to the Board that they have no practicable options, other than under the scheme, to secure the remediation of their homes. It is a condition of eligibility under the scheme that an application to the Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2. An extension, used for habitable purposes, is considered to be a dwelling for the purposes of the Pyrite Resolution Act 2013, and the implementation of the pyrite remediation scheme.