Pyrite homeowners are 'sick of delays'

A public meeting in Ballina last Wednesday heard calls for the urgent completion of a review of the engineering standard used to assess buildings with defective blocks containing pyrite.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is currently reviewing IS 465, which outlines protocols that engineers must follow when assessing buildings damaged by defective concrete blocks. The review was prompted after research that confirmed internal sulphate attack (ISA) is the cause of crumbling concrete rather than mica.

Meeting facilitator and Mayo Pyrite Action Group member Margaret Walsh, a Belmullet homeowner whose home has been affected, said the latest research shows that mica was a “myth”.

“It is accepted scientifically that pyrite and pyrrhotite causes ISA inside of blocks and that is what is causing the damage,” she said. “Mica is a myth and is not the primary cause of this. We have to put pressure on to ensure the current testing standard is removed and replaced.” 

A spokesperson for the NSAI told the Western People it would be publishing an update on the review shortly.

Ms Walsh said there are currently 2,870 applications for the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme nationally with around 220 homes remediated, which is around a 7% completion rate. She said there were 437 applications in Mayo with 95 homes rebuilt. However, she said the “true number” of affected homes was not yet clear.

“We can’t know the true number when there is no scheme access for many homeowners. Damage threshold is a barrier and foundations are not tested or included.” 

Noel Granahan, who lives in Co Sligo but is originally from Mayo, told the meeting that he recently got onto the scheme after great difficulty.

“The hassle to get engineers in to check your blocks, it would drive you around the bend,” he said. “We had always intended to sell our house and retire with the money but we can’t now.” 

Another attendee said she lived in an estate with 48 affected houses, three of which had been remediated thus far and there was genuine fear that the scheme, which has 12 years to run, will run out before all the impacted houses are rebuilt.

Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh said the scheme would have to be continued, adding that successive governments had failed to protect citizens in this crisis. Deputy Conway-Walsh was the only Mayo TD present, although apologies were sent from Paul Lawless, Keira Keogh, Dara Calleary and Alan Dillon.

“The only solution is 100% redress here. There is no compensation for the years of stress and time in which you have had to endure this,” she said. “We need legislation passed and it could be passed quickly. If it were really a priority, it would have been passed months ago.” 

She said nobody should be locked out of the scheme and backed calls for an active committee consisting of affected homeowners, councillors and other stakeholders to be set up by Mayo County Council. Deputy Conway-Walsh added that a full public inquiry should be held for “one of the greatest scandals of all time".

Dean Kenny, a member of young Fine Gael, said he was attending the meeting to take notes and listen on behalf of Deputy Alan Dillon, who was unable to attend. Mr Kenny said Deputy Dillon was working with Minister for Housing James Browne to ensure that the Enhanced Defective Block Scheme passes through in a timely manner.

Ms Walsh said the Mayo Pyrite Action Group’s message to government was that they are sick of waiting for legislative amendments to extend timelines and to improve fairness.

“We need faster delivery, revised national standards and independent oversight of quarries," she said, before adding: “Get on with it, we’re sick of these delays.” 

Mr Walsh said she would like to see impacted homeowners became “more visible” and to raise their voices in protest at the current situation.