Sinn Féin has described the Pyrite Remediation Scheme in Ireland as "grossly inadequate" and is calling on the Government to review the eligibility criteria.

TD for Dublin Fingal Louise O'Reilly has made a submission to the National Standards Authority of Ireland review of the pyrite testing and categorisation protocol. The submission will form part of the public consultation process on the testing and categorisation protocol. I.S. 398-1:2013 is the system used to award points when the Building Condition Assessment is being carried out to establish the Damage Condition Rating under the pyrite remediation scheme.

Deputy O'Reilly said: "Considering the absence of Government plans to amend the eligibility criteria of the pyrite remediation scheme, the review of I.S. 398-1:2013 has the potential to have enormous ramifications for pyritic damaged homes. It was in that regard, and having spoken to and met numerous families and organisations affected by pyrite, that I felt it was important to make a submission.

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"While a review of the points system can be broadly welcomed, it does not preclude the necessity for a more comprehensive review of the pyrite scheme to include all affected homeowners. The fact is that we believe that those who don't meet the criteria must have recourse to remediation. Irrespective of the presence of visible pyritic damage, a house with pyrite is valueless, until it is remediated and this is the case right across Dublin Fingal.

"The Pyrite Remediation Scheme is grossly inadequate. It is a condition of eligibility under the pyrite remediation scheme that an application to the Pyrite Resolution Board must be accompanied by a Building Condition Assessment with a Damage Condition Rating of 2. This means that many households are locked out of the scheme and the numbers of applications to the scheme just scratches the surface of the extent of pyrite affected problems in the area."

(CD/MH)