A Clare Independent TD has made a fresh call for “offending parties” in the pyrite scandal to be held to account.
It comes as the Oireachtas Housing Committee has heard testimony from homeowners who are still facing significant challenges due to the use of pyrite blocks in the construction of their dwellings.
Eight months on from the opening of the Enhanced Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme, the minds of the over 1,000 affected homeowners in Clare are far from at ease.
The scheme, which was devised to provide financial support to people to carry out repairs on properties damaged by the use of defective concrete blocks, covers 100% of remediation work, up to a maximum of €420,000.
Figures released to Sinn Féin TD Eoin Ó Broin last week show no Clare homeowner affected by pyrite has received any funding under the scheme up to January 2023.
As well as this, just 49 people in this county have applied, compared to 1,456 in Donegal, 357 in Mayo and 18 in Limerick.
Clare Pyrite Action Group Chair and Crusheen resident Dr Martina Cleary the mental toll the scandal has taken on homeowners amounts to a “shocking disgrace”.
Research conducted by the Clare Pyrite Action Group estimates as many as 1,025 homes as well as 11 public and private buildings in this county could have defective blocks.
Affected homes are across 38 locations with Newmarket-on-Fergus having seven while Drumline, Ennis, Kilkee, Kilrush and Sixmilebridge each have five homes containing pyrite.
Kilrush Independent Deputy Violet Anne-Wynne, who was the only Clare Oireachtas member present at the meeting, says those responsible for using defective blocks in the construction of homes and properties must face consequences.
