*Mary Hanley shows Minister O’Brien the cracks along their home in Drumline caused by pyrite. Photograph: Joe Buckley
REGULATIONS that will lead to the approval of redress for pyrite-impacted homeowners in Clare have been signed off on by the Minister for Housing.
On Monday afternoon, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien (FF) signed off on the regulations which have been long anticipated by the over one thousand homes in Co Clare impacted by the presence of defective concrete blocks.
Frustration has long been expressed by homeowners on the pace at which the signing of this regulation has taken with many delays along the way.
Clare TD, Cathal Crowe (FF) stated, “This delay related to some last minute issues that homeowners in Donegal were having with the redress scheme, but homeowners in Clare were anxious that everything would proceed as quickly as possible”.
He said the move by the Minister “paves the way for applications for redress for homeowners going live over the coming weeks”.
Deputy Crowe was hopeful Clare County Council “will be approved to have a facilitator employed within their staffing cohort so that there will be an expert individual working within the council to advise homeowners at each step of the application process and on what happens thereafter”.
Crowe continued, “I’ve met with homeowners on many occasions since being elected as a TD and I’ve also called in person to many of the affected households. I’ve been struck by how stressed these homeowners are and some of them have grappled with very serious health problems which I’ve no doubt have been exacerbated by the stress and anxiety caused by having pyrite in their homes.
“When redress gets underway, I think it’s important that the government accelerate plans to take a landmark legal case against the manufacturers and suppliers of defective blocks. It is right that the state should now foot the bill for redress but ultimately those who manufactured and sold these blocks must be held responsible,” he stated.
