Harkin pushes for Sligo to be added to pyrite scheme
LOCAL Independent TD Marian Harkin pushed for Sligo to be included a scheme to compensate people whose homes have been affected by pyrite, when she raised the issue in the Dail last Thursday.
Recently the Sligo Weekender highlighted how hundreds of homes in Sligo could potentially have to be repaired or in many cases demolished and rebuilt because of damage caused by contaminated building materials.
The blocks from which they are built are being eaten away by a chemical reaction caused by a naturally occurring mineral called pyrite.
The way in which pryrite affects blocks has become known as the “Weetabix effect” as it leaves the concrete blocks as easily crumbled by hand as the famous breakfast cereal.
At present there is a government scheme in place in Mayo and Donegal to provide householders affected in those two counties with up to 90% of the cost of repairing or rebuilding homes.
The scheme was put in place in place in those two counties because of the number of houses affected by pyrite in materials supplied by a major quarry in each county.
The issue has also been raised by Sligo County Council and the council has applied for Sligo to be included in thescheme.
Deputy Harkin raised the issue with Tánaiste Leo Varadkar in the Dail on Thursday last, asking that County Sligo would be included in the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme (pyrite scheme).
She said: “Several hundred homes, mainly in rural County Sligo, are affected by pyrite, which has a catastrophic effect on the stability of homes.” Deputy Harkin said that Sligo County Council has asked that Sligo would be included in the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, which covers 90% of the remediation costs. “This scheme currently operates in Mayo and Donegal. Homeowners in south and west Sligo look across the border to Mayo and in north Sligo they look across the border to Donegal and see a government-funded remedial scheme for pyrite, while their own homes crumble around their ears and they have no assistance.”
She asked the Tánaiste to give a commitment to these homeowners in Co. Sligo, that they would be included in the scheme.
While such a commitment was not given, the Tánaiste did give a positive reply, saying: “If the situation is the same for people in Sligo as for those in Mayo and Donegal, I do not see why they would not be included in the scheme. That would be natural justice.”
He said that he would raise the Sligo pyrite issue with Minister Darragh O’Brien, the Minister for Housing, Local