Pyrite Dublin Homes
Pyrite, a mineral which can
cause severe structural damage to buildings, has been discovered in homes in
Dún Laoghaire and south Dublin.
The Irish Observer enjoys 100,000 Readers per-week, if you have a story nobody else will tell, let us know.
Minister of State for the
Environment Paudie Coffey said details had emerged of “significant pyritic
damage” arising from the presence of the mineral in the foundation materials of
homes in the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin County Council areas. The
presence of pyrite can result in severe subsidence and cracks in buildings.
Pyrite remediation scheme
The areas will now be
included in the pyrite remediation scheme, the €10 million State-funded redress
scheme set up to fund the repair of damaged homes. The scheme had been
restricted to homes in Dublin City, Fingal, and Co Kildare, Meath and Offaly.
“The inclusion of these
areas into the scheme will now provide access to reasonable and sustainable
solutions for those homeowners who have no other practicable options for
redress,” Mr Coffey said.
Cowboy Builders
Since it became operational
last February, 630 applications have been made to the scheme, 485 applications
have been assessed as meeting the eligibility criteria and 300 have been
approved for inclusion in the scheme.
Just five houses have so far
been remediated, under a pilot project in the Fingal County Council area. €1.1
million has so far been spent from the fund, but not exclusively on the five
Fingal homes.
So far fewer than 20
homeowners have come forward from the Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and South Dublin
County Council areas for inclusion in the scheme, but chairman of the Pyrite
Resolution Board John O’Connor said more applications could be made.
“These are just the numbers
so far. The problem doesn’t manifest itself as soon as something is built, it
arises over time, so we can’t say how many applications will be made.”
However, Mr O’Connor said
previous estimates that some 10,000 homes would come under the scheme had been
wide of the mark.
“Wild figures were thrown
around . . . We have had 630 applications made to us, I don’t think this is a
problem that’s going to run wild.”
The board will appear before
an Oireachtas environment committee next week.
