Labour TD Sean Kenny has welcomed the announcement that the Government has approved Exchequer funding for a pyrite remediation scheme to be implemented.

Minister Kenny said: "The scheme is valued at €10 million, initially to get it kick-started. Additional funding will be allocated over the next two years from the Capital Stimulus Programme in early 2014.

"While the Government did not cause the pyrite problem, it took responsibility to provide solutions for owners of homes affected with pyrite who have been left with no way of dealing with the problem after the withdrawal of cover for pyrite damage by HomeBond in the summer of 2011.

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"Although pyrite problems in Clongriffin and Belmayne were identified and dealt with by the developers, I am very happy to see that a scheme has been introduced to deal with the wider problem of pyrite throughout the country. It would not have been reasonable to leave affected homeowners without a resolution to their problem.

"The PRB estimate that there are approximately 1,000 dwellings affected by pyritic heave that require an immediate fix, and they will now get to work implementing the pyrite resolution programme in line with the scheme outlined on the Board's website.

"I had been hoping that progress on this issue in terms of actually getting work done on houses across the country would happen faster than it has, but as with Priory Hall, complex legal issues had to be addressed before a resolution could be finalised. The new funding that the Government has now made available means that legislation can now be drafted as a matter of priority, thereby enabling the Pyrite Resolution Board to begin its work in earnest to relieve homeowners."

(CD/JP)