O’Brien quizzes Minister on the inadequacy of the State’s Pyrite Remedial Scheme

​Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Housing and local TD, Darragh O’Brien has said the Government’s Pyrite Remediation Scheme is continuing to fail to alleviate the plight faced by Fingal homeowners affected by severe pyrite damage.
The Deputy raised the matter with the Minister Damien English this week and speaking in Dáil Éireann, Deputy O’Brien said, “Since the inception of this scheme, not one home affected by pyrite has been approved as part of the remedial scheme under the exceptional circumstances category.
“The homes that have been remediated so far are all in category 2 whereby the pyrite level is above that set down in the Pyrite Resolution Act. As a consequence, very many other homeowners continue to be left in limbo and what’s worse, with no prospect of remedy. 
“We’re not talking about one or two homes; we’re talking about potentially hundreds of homes across the east coast that have been left damaged by pyrite. The owners of these homes are left with mortgages on homes that are effectively valueless.
“The only bit of hope that these people have been able to hold on to is the prospect of the Government eventually recognising their situation and subsequently introducing long over-due changes to the schemes clauses. They're still waiting for the scheme to be expanded to include their home.
"A comprehensive review of the pyrite scheme has never been more pressing. These homeowners fighting for inclusion under the scheme have gone through another year of unnecessary hardship simply because the State is ignoring this matter.
"The pyrite remediation scheme needs to be expanded so that all homeowners affected can have their homes repaired in the instances where their insurer won’t fork out."