Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
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300. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that houses in County Limerick are impacted by pyrite; if he will include County Limerick in the compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32994/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Dwellings Damaged by the Use of Defective Concrete Blocks in Construction (Remediation) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 2020 provide for a grant scheme of financial assistance to support affected homeowners in the counties of Donegal and Mayo only, to carry out the necessary remediation works to dwellings that have been damaged due to the use of defective concrete blocks.  The regulations came in to operation on 31 January 2020 and it has been open for applications since the end of June 2020. It is not a compensation scheme and is very much a scheme of last resort for homeowners who have no other practical options of redress.

The Defective Concrete Blocks Grant scheme was informed by the report of an Expert Panel which was published in 2017 which involved extensive research, investigations and analysis.  Any consideration of extension to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grants Scheme would, in the first instance, require the relevant local authority to conduct the same rigorous analysis as that carried out in Donegal and Mayo.

Such analysis would need to demonstrate that identified issues in Limerick were due to the presence of excessive amounts of deleterious materials (mica or pyrite) in the aggregate used to manufacture the concrete blocks. The relevant "I.S.465" protocol would need to be followed in this regard. The extent of the problem would also need to be quantified.  Pending the receipt of and consideration of such analysis it would be premature to consider an extension of the scheme. Similar to what is happening in other counties seeking admittance to the scheme, it is suggested that the local authority would lead on the rigorous analysis required in accordance with the I.S. 465 protocol and on the estimation of quantum and make the appropriate submission to my Department. Any extension of the scheme  would also have to be the subject of budgetary discussions with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Separately, my Department has recently extended the pyrite remediation scheme to include the administrative area of Limerick City and County Council, which will see homeowners of dwellings with significant damage attributable to pyritic heave in County Limerick eligible to apply for remediation works under the Pyrite Remediation Scheme.