CRACKING UP
A GRANDAD has said he is living a nightmare as his home is crumbling – and his neighbours are also suffering from the “epidemic”.
Leonard Croxten told how he is stressed and anxious over pyrite in his foundations which has led to a spate of cracked walls and floors.
The 62-year-old owns the worstaffected house in Meadows Estate in the Lower Park area of Corbally, Limerick.
In 2002 he paid IR£175,000 (€225,000) for his home but has been told it is now “worthless”.
Leonard, who is a spokesman for the 16 homeowners and families in the pyrite-ridden area, has said they urgently need access to a special compensation scheme.
He told the Irish Mirror yesterday: “The cracks started appearing in earnest about three or four years after they [the 16 homes] were built.
“Our floor has lifted somewhere in the region of 35mm in the middle of our kitchen. All of the units are crooked.
“It pushes the foundation walls outwards so we get massive cracks.
“There is an assessor and they reckon my house is one of the worst because it’s at the bottom of a hill.
“We’re getting all of the water down into our foundations and they reckon my house will have to be demolished. The other houses will have to be partially demolished.
“My house is worthless, it’s worth the land it’s sitting on, that’s it.”
Pyrite is a type of iron sulphide and a form of the material – framboidal pyrite – expands when it comes into contact with oxygen and water.
Residents carried out tests on the Meadows Estate at their own expense that confirmed the substance is in their homes, yet they have been told they are not eligible for State compensation.
Leonard, who lives in the house with his wife Majella, said the stone for the 16 homes completed in 2003 was sourced from the same quarry and he believes “the pyrites are in the material they sent to us”.
The dad of two added: “We started going down the legal route and we were going up cul-de-sacs all the way so we’re trying to get onto a remediation board.
“Now according to them pyrites only exist in Ballymun in Dublin.
“But it’s in Limerick, it’s in Kilmallock and there are other places suffering as well. It’s an epidemic I think.”
The only areas that are currently dealt
CORBALLY YESTERDAY
with by the Pyrite Resolution Board are Dun Laoghaire-rathdown, Fingal, Meath, Kildare, Offaly and South Dublin County Councils. Leonard has spent €10,000 on repairs to his home and has been told it will cost €90,000 to remove the pyrite.
He said he believes the building has a lifespan of about 10 years and “it’s not [dangerous] yet”.
However, he recently renovated his lounge and already cracks are appearing and he insists “you’d put your fingers through them”.
Leonard said Limerick Senator Marie Byrne has been the most helpful local representative and Environment Minister Denis Naughten had a meeting with the PRB on July 23 and they “are awaiting the results of that”.
He added: “If they include Limerick then we’ve got some chance some people could sit back and relax.
“OK we’re on the board and we might get it fixed one day. At the moment we’ve got nothing.”
Responding to the Irish Mirror Michael Mchale of the Pyrite Resolution Board said: “This matter has been submitted to the Board of the Pyrite Resolution Board and while this is under consideration we are unable to comment on the matter.”
My house is worth the land it is sitting on, that’s it. It’s worthless LEONARD CROXTEN