Revised pyrite standards welcomed but no remedy for flawed Govt scheme

     -    Government must adopt new revised standards to Pyrite Remediation Scheme   -
Local Fianna Fáil TD, Darragh O’Brien has said that the proposed changes to the Pyrite Remediation Scheme, announced by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) will do little to support hundreds of families in Fingal that continue to be left in limbo.
As part of its revised Reactive Pyrite Standard, the NSAI has changed the building categories that pyrite is classed under. The new revised version of the Irish standard has proposed changes in standards to category B, where pyrite is present but has not resulted in "significant levels" damage.


Commenting on today’s announcement, Deputy O’Brien said, “I am pleased to see revisions proposed to improve a scheme that has failed so many; however, we now need to examine how these standards will apply in real, practical terms.


“It has never been more apparent that the whole issue of pyrite should be revised to overhaul a remediation scheme that is wholly unfit for purpose and continuing to leave thousands behind.


“There are an estimated 72,000 homeowners nationwide affected by pyrite. Too many of these are finding it increasingly difficult or impossible to sell their pyrite infected properties due to the reluctance of banks to issue mortgages to prospective buyers.


“It was hoped that as a part of today’s report, these long over-due changes to standards for pyrite affected property would provide home owners and buyers more certainty.


He added, “Sadly, unless the property industry and other key stakeholders such as the banks, insurance companies fully cooperate then these changes cannot have a significant impact.


“Owning a home with pyrite puts huge pressure on families and causes stress for so many. In fact, it affects every aspect of a homeowner’s life. These families do not know if they will ever be adequately supported to remedy a situation that has been taken entirely out of their hands.


“I have been raising these same concerns for some years now and the importance of a comprehensive review of the pyrite scheme so that every homeowner affected in Fingal is supported once and for all, has never been more critical.”