The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD, has announced an expansion of the Pyrite Remediation Scheme to cover an estimated 200 additional homes affected by pyrite.

Until now, only properties assessed with a Damage Condition Rating of 2 — indicating significant pyrite-related damage — qualified for support. Under the broadened criteria, homes with a Damage Condition Rating of 1 that are showing progression will also be eligible, as the Scheme moves into its final phase.

"I am very glad to be able to announce today that the Pyrite Remediation Scheme will be widened to offer help and support to the owners of hundreds of additional homes. Although the number of applications has decreased significantly in recent years as we enter the final phase of the scheme, this Government has always been determined to ensure that nobody is left behind. We want to ensure that all eligible homeowners affected by the damage caused by pyrite can once again feel safe and secure in their own homes." said Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, James Browne TD.

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Established in 2014, the Scheme addresses homes damaged by pyrite in subfloor infill. By the end of 2024, remediation had been completed on 2,851 properties at a cost of approximately €196 million. Cases have been recorded across nine local authority areas, with the majority in Fingal. The Pyrite Resolution Board (PRB) administers the Scheme and manages applications and appeals, while the Housing Agency oversees remediation works.

With application numbers falling in recent years, the PRB has recommended a planned wind-down focused on homeowner needs. The closing date for new applications is Monday, 30 November 2026. Homeowners who may be eligible are urged to act promptly, engaging a qualified professional (typically an engineer) to complete a building condition assessment before submitting an online application to the PRB.

Under the widened eligibility, the PRB will apply strict qualification criteria. Approved applicants will proceed through the existing eight stages of remediation, with an added follow-up assessment: a Scheme engineer will revisit the property within a defined period to confirm whether progression has occurred. The Housing Agency will manage assessment and testing on the PRB's behalf.

Current application volumes average about two per week, or roughly 100 per year. The Pyrite Remediation Scheme is distinct from the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, which supports affected homeowners in Clare, Donegal, Limerick, Mayo and Sligo.