Mayo councillors welcome improved pyrite redress scheme
THE 100% redress scheme announced for pyrite and mica affected homes today has been welcomed by two councillors from north Mayo - an area much affected by the issue.
Grants of up to €420,000 have been agreed by government, with many homes having to be demolished due to defective blocks.
Speaking at a Westport-Belmullet Municipal District meeting today, Councillor Gerry Coyle said he was happy to see some sort of an end line and he welcomed the new scheme.
For the families caught up in this for many years, it was a welcome boost, and he hoped it would be applied retrospectively.
His colleague Councillor Sean Carey said it was a 'relief' for the families whose houses were falling down around them. There was now some light at the end of the tunnel with this enhanced scheme.
Councillor Carey welcomed that there was an element for accommodation while homes were being rebuilt and that the aid had increased to €420,000.
He agreed that people who had already started work should be able to avail of the increased funding.
Some of the key improvements to the scheme include:
- The current 90% maximum grant will be increased to a 100% grant for all remediation options 1-5.
- The maximum grant cap for option 1 (demolition and rebuild) will be increased to €420,000 from €247,500.
- Alternative accommodation and storage costs to be included, subject to a maximum of €20,000.
- In relation to works carried out under remediation options 2-5, a second grant option will be available for such a home in the future if blockwork which was not removed as part of the initial remediation work subsequently proves defective.
- A new independent appeals process will be introduced.
- The scheme will be extended beyond the current scope of Principle Private Residences only, to also cover RTB registered rental properties, subject to the introduction of a clawback mechanism upon re-sale within a set time period depending on the remediation option used. Opportunities for the State to acquire such rental properties for social housing purposes will also be examined.