Property tax exemption demonstrates Govt commitment to assist pyrite homeowners

Fine Gael TD for Dublin North, Alan Farrell, has today (Wednesday) welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Finance, Michael Noonan TD, that owners of houses affected by pyrite will not have to pay the property tax.   Pyrite is a building material which has caused significant damage to homes. It has been used in the construction of thousands of houses in north Dublin, Meath and Kildare.

“Having campaigned for owners of pyritic houses to not have to pay the property tax, I am extremely pleased by Minister Noonan’s announcement today. As the owner of a home with pyrite-affected backfill, I know that this will be welcomed by homeowners, not just because of the financial impact but because it shows that the State recognises the difficult situation they are in.

“I firmly believe that estates affected by pyrite should not be considered as complete or finished and I am satisfied that Minister Noonan views the situation accordingly. Today’s statement is a welcome confirmation of commitments made by the Government in response to the pyrite panel report.

“The owners of pyritic homes, many of whom bought their houses during the peak of the property boom, have had to endure the nightmare scenario of their homes being destroyed in front of their eyes.

“It is very clear to me, as someone whose home is affected by this problem, that there has been more movement on this issue on behalf of homeowners in the last nine months than there had been in the previous six years. From my personal experience as a pyrite homeowner and campaigner, I can categorically state that the previous Government kicked this issue to touch since this situation came to light in July 2007.

“I commend the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan TD, and Minister Noonan for the manner in which they have addressed the pyrite issue. Last December, Minister Hogan announced landmark measures to enable pyrite homeowners to have their situation redressed. Minister Hogan has secured up front funding of €50 million from the banking sector, has established the Pyrite Resolution Board, and has in principle agreed on a mechanism with industry stakeholders, including Homebond, to facilitate the remediation of dwellings. Key stakeholders, including the Construction Industry Federation, the Irish Concrete Federation and the Irish Banking Federation, are behind this process.”