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Cracks in the walls of a house in Clongriffin, north Dublin. Remedial work has since been carried out on these houses to completely rectify the problem. James Horan/Photocall Ireland

Explainer: The scheme that will fix pyrite victim's crumbling homes

Applications open today for the €10 million scheme that allows remedial work to be carried out on qualifying homes.

THE PYRITE RESOLUTION board will begin taking applications for remedial work from today.

Legislation to allow for this was enacted last year, and an initial allocation of €10 million in funding has been approved, with more expected over the next two years.

The scheme allows homeowners whose property has been affected by ‘pyrite heave’ – a situation where the sub-standard building material has caused structural damage – can apply for damage caused to be repaired and the material replaced.

Peter Lewis of Pyrite Action, one of the groups behind calls for a remediation scheme, told TheJournal.ie that the development is hugely welcome after years of campaigning.

“We’re delighted after a such a long battle,” he said, noting that homes developed pyrite issues as far back as the late nineties.

It’s fantastic, there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Need a recap of what this is all about? Don’t worry, TheJournal.ie is ready to refresh your memory, and to explain this new scheme…

What is Pyrite?

Pyrite is a form of iron sulphide. It’s frequently referred to as “fool’s good”, because, as you can see below, it looks like it. It was used as a key element of early radio receivers, and currently has an application in solar panels.

image

Is that gold? No, it’s not, it’s pyrite you fool. (Image Credit: n8kowald via Flickr Creative Commons)

However, a form of the material, known as “framboidal pyrite”, can expand in the presence of oxygen and water.

Why is it a problem?

Framboidal pyrite isn’t a particularly desirable material, and so is cheap or unwanted.

This means it was sometimes turned to to be used as “backfill” or “infill”. This is used when constructing the foundations of a house.

Using backfill containing pyrite became a common practice in some regions during the property boom.

It can also be used a cheap material when manufacturing concrete, but this less common in Ireland.

In both these situations, the pyrite swells and causes structural damage.

To what extent has this happened?

Homes all over the country have been effected, mainly centred around the midlands region.

A report, put together by a independent panel established by Environment Minister Phil Hogan in 2012, identified 10,300 homes possibly contamination.

In 2008, 122 homes that were part of the Ballymun Regeneration were identified to have pyrite issues.

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An estate in Baldoyle, North Dublin. This is one estate that was involved in an action taken by Menolly Homes against The Lagan Group which they claim provided aggregate infill containing high levels of pyrite, which caused  damage to their homes. Work has since been carried out to completely rectify the problem. (Image Credit: James Horan/Photocall Ireland)

It is thought that currently 1,000 homeowners have contacted the Pyrite Resolution Board.

Peter Lewis of Pyrite Action said that the effects include walls cracking, floors bulging, or doors sticking. In his own home, work had to be carried out on walls to main the structural stability of his apartment.

In more extreme cases, there have been reports of it causing damage to sewage or gas pipes.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan made homes affected by pyrite exempt from the Property Tax.

Cases have been brought regarding pyrite damage. In the case of James Elliott Construction Limited v Irish Asphalt Limited, where it is claimed that a youth centre was built and later suffered pyrite damage due to materials used, a decision on a Supreme Court appeal is currently pending.

It follows a judgement that decided that the damage to the building came about as a result of pyrite. He further held that the hardcore material was not ‘it for the purpose for which it was bought’ and was not of merchantable quality. Irish Asphalt Limited disputed this.

But can you just fix it?

Well yes, you can, if you’re willing to splash out. The usual cost for the removal and replacement of affected material is thought to be €45,000.

Many home-owners also faced issues with home insurers not paying out sufficient sums to carry out repairs. HomeBond, who dominated the home insurance marker when these homes were built, withdrew cover for pyrite damage following legal advice.

This left a large number of homes without a remedy for damage.

The company later agreed to make available indirect funding through the provision of technical support services for the remediation scheme.

Are you now eyeing those cracks in the wall suspiciously?

A house must be assessed to ensure that that pyrite heave is causing damage before it is eligible for the fund..

A Building Condition Assessment Report must be carried out, where samples are taken for examination.

Badly damaged properties, classified as “Category 2″, will be looked at first, thought to number around 1,000. It is expected that houses with less significant damage may also be eligible for the scheme at a later date.

So who can apply to this?

There are very specific requirements.

Firstly, the scheme only applies to dwelling built between the 1 January 1997 and 12 December 2013 in counties Meath, Kildare of Offaly, or the administrative areas of Fingal County Council or Dublin City Council.

image
A floor affected by pyrite heave. (Image: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

The home-owner must also prove that they don’t have the resources to carry out the repairs themselves.

You also can’t apply if you’re looking to repair a footpath, patio, or anything that isn’t used for human habitation.

If the damage has already been repaired, those costs will not be reimbursed. It only applies to work to remove the pyrite and prevent further damage.

How much will it cost?

The cost of the Building Condition Assessment Report, if re-mediation work is approved, can be reclaimed up to €500.

The cost of removal and storage of furniture from the dwelling can be recouped up to €2,500.

Rental of alternative accommodation while the works are being carried out is subject to a maximum limit of €3,000. If this isn’t possible, the cost outlined for the remove of furniture can be used towards rental accommodation.

The government pays for the repairs, with funding for this scheme coming from bank loans and a levy on certain building materials. Tenders will be offered to carry out repairs.

Serious about applying?

The Pyrite Resolution Board has detailed the scheme in extensive detail on their website. There are also guidelines on how to apply. You can visit the site at PyriteBoard.ie, or call 1890 252 842.

Column: ‘We’re watching our first house crumble before our eyes’ >

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5 Comments
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    Mute Cosmological
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 6:41 AM

    Intelligent piece, more reason to respect and appreciate what these fine people are doing for us.

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 7:15 AM

    When the world eventually gets this dangerous virus under control ! it will never be same again particular Europe /American/all other western nations will need to look very carefully at manufacturing our own medical /engineering /all other important products for nation security at times of crisis and greatly reduced our dependency on China and other like minded states!

    117
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    Mute Mary Walshe
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 8:44 AM

    @Bobby wilson:
    Maybe all those nations at war, who spend significant amounts of money on weaponry, could instead put it towards the health and welfare of their citizens.
    I’m thinking particularly of African nations, the Taliban in Afghanistan, Iran and Iraq.
    Maybe, just maybe this is a wake up call for humanity across the entire world!

    58
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    Mute Aaron O'Leary
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 10:56 AM

    @Mary Walshe: Or America…?

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    Mute Will
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 2:01 PM

    @Mary Walshe: “a wake up call for humanity across the entire world!”

    I’d like to think so but we’ve had two world wars in the last 100 years that killed over 100 million people and we carried on as before both times (more or less).
    We have short memories.

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    Mute Damon16
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 5:39 PM

    @Mary Walshe: There are multiple potential threats that we face – pandemics is just one of them. Bio-terrorism, cyber terrorism or outright military conflicts, natural disasters (massive volcanic eruption is one big one) and climate change are other threats. Europe has become complacent since WWII, thinking that we are immune from external and internal threats and that material progress is an inevitability. This virus has shown this isn’t true. We should take this as a lesson and make proper contingencies for future threats – and yes includes potential future military threats. We’re lucky that this virus isn’t much more deadly, a contagious virus with a mortality rate of 30-40% or more is certainly possible.

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 8:25 AM

    Bearing this article in mind ,I am very concerned with the article in IT’s 2 days ago:’Some protection equipment from China ” not ideal”,HSE says’.This shipment cost over €208m but more concerned about the safety of frontline staff!

    23
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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 8:36 AM

    @Nuala Mc Namara: all the more reason why western nations must come together after this nightmare end. Start manufacturing our own medical /engineering /all other important nation security equipment. even it cost more to produce a least it will be of higher quality. Let’s Greatly reduced our dependency on China and other fellow totalitarian states in the world!

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    Mute Alan Watts
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 10:21 AM

    @Nuala Mc Namara: heard on RTE news that most of the equipment isn’t faulty it’s just not what our hospitals are use too using, most will have to be retrained

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    Mute Alan Watts
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 10:47 AM

    @Bobby wilson: yeah the 17% now unemployed can work in our new factories I’m sure we can pay them a few more euro than the slave labour our chinese counterparts get.

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    Mute Bobby wilson
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 11:24 AM

    @Alan Watts: yes! And At least it will be of higher quality than some of equipment made in those states in the far east!..this will be different world when this virus is put under control particular western nations that includes [brixit Britain ] Europe/EU/USA/must all come back together and work closely as one in developing better food/medical /engineering security equipment in coming years and not depending on totalitarian states across the world!

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    Mute MickN
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 1:30 PM

    @Nuala Mc Namara: I heard that not ideal but good enough although they have now changed the order…
    So if RTE says good enough then they must be good enough…Odd way of explaining it though was being very carefull with his words and looked stressed trying to explain without explaining properly.. Weird..

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    Mute Nuala Mc Namara
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 5:22 PM

    @Alan Watts:@MickN RTE news:’Some new PPE’not fit for purpose’-medical staff’ !!!!

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    Mute Agenda21
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    Apr 4th 2020, 2:18 AM

    @Alan Watts: really, on rte wow wee

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    Mute Barney Corleone
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 9:37 AM

    The jury is very much out on initial dose and severity of symptoms. In influenza SARS and MERS there is a correlation and it is highly likely that COVID19 is the same. Even in the discussion that you linked from the science media centre more of the opinions seemed to fall on the side that initial dose is a factor in outcome. More balance please author!

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    Mute Agenda21
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    Apr 3rd 2020, 6:20 AM

    NO

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