Tag Archives: Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG)

THE vice-chairperson of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) has urged people to stop suffering in silence if they have defective blocks in their homes.  Mary Hanley told a major conference hosted by the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) last week that people must open up and share their experiences. Mrs Hanley, who showed the Housing Minister her badly cracked home in Drumline last August, made her comments during a special session dealing with the mental and physical health impacts of living in a house with defective materials.  Referring to a presentation from TUS’s Dr Lorcan Byrne on the impact of housing insecurity and the importance of collective action, Mrs Hanley said that encouraging people to speak up remains a challenge. “Dealing with officialdom is one of the biggest stressors facing our group of homeowners,” she said. “A lot of us in Clare – and in Mayo and Donegal – would love to just go home and close the …

EXPERT engineer, Simon Beale, has warned of aspects of the forthcoming defective blocks grant scheme which could penalise homeowners who have struggled to maintain their properties.  Mr Beale is a chartered engineer who has tested more than 250 pyrite-affected homes to-date, and has been working with Clare County Council to make the case for access for Clare to the grant scheme. At a major conference last week, hosted by the Technological University of the Shannon (TUS), he outlined his concerns about some of the terms of the revised grant scheme. “The new requirement for a building condition report will prove difficult,” he said. “In some cases, homeowners have tried to hide the damage. This is almost a penalty for those who have tried to maintain and upgrade their homes. Another problematic aspect of the new scheme, which is due to come before Cabinet next Tuesday (June 14), is that of partial repairs to properties with defective concrete blocks. “Demolition, to …

Former construction professional recalls being told crumbling blocks were ‘too fresh’ but notes all blocks are tested before they are sold A PYRITE crisis has been predicted in Clare by a former construction sector professional, whose own home is now beginning to show signs of defective concrete in its blocks. The man, who spoke to The Champion on condition of anonymity, shared his experience of working during the years of the Celtic Tiger building boom. He recalled instances where bales of concrete blocks would “crumble” on site, and have to be returned to the supplier. He said that when construction companies raised concerns, they would be told those blocks were “too fresh”. The man also believes that those making and supplying the products must have known of wider quality issues. He added that while people are paying 15-30 year mortgages, some homes won’t last that long and he warned of the toll of the issue on people’s mental health. In …

A MEETING will take place this Friday, May 6, between the Council and homeowners affected by pyrite, as the authority prepares “a further report” for the government.  It is now nine months since Clare County Council submitted its original report to Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLG) seeking access to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. Since then, the government has agreed to revise the scheme, currently only available in Mayo and Donegal. The DHLGH has also reverted to the Council with a series of detailed questions about the prevalence and impact of pyrite here. Among the items requested is proof of a causal link between the presence of pyrite and the cracking of properties. The Council sent an initial response before Christmas and is continuing to engage.  “The Council is currently preparing a further report for submission to the DHLGH which will be discussed at the meeting between the Clare Pyrite Action Group and Clare County Council …

HUNDREDS of council homes in this county could be affected by pyrite, it has emerged. At a council briefing for members of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) and the Oireachtas, a figure of 350 local authority homes was given. The council has since confirmed the accuracy of this estimate, based on tests conducted to-date. Some believe, however, that even that figure may not paint a true picture of the extent of defective concrete blocks in homes in Clare, and that the actual situation could be worse.  The details have been welcomed by the founder of the CPAG as well as residents of one Ennis housing estate who spoke publicly to The Champion last year about the condition of their homes. Eileen Downes of Oakwood Drive described how she and her neighbours felt ignored for years after first highlighting cracks in their houses.  “We’re looking at our homes getting worse for the last three to five years,” she said. “It’s …

THE founder of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) has said she fears campaigners here could be forced into a ten-year battle for redress.  Dr Martina Cleary voiced concern that Clare homeowners are being driven down the same route as those in Mayo and Donegal, who campaigned for a decade to get access to a State-sponsored grant scheme. It follows a briefing from Clare County Council on Tuesday for members of CPAG and Oireachtas representatives. Officials outlined their ongoing efforts to respond to queries raised by the Department of Housing over a report seeking access to the Defective Concrete Blocks Grant Scheme. While a rigorous process of core sampling on five private homes formed part of this report, it has now emerged that the Department’s queries will necessitate further investigations of these properties.  Dr Cleary said the council expressed determination to meet the Department’s request for proof of a causal link between structural damage and the proven presence of pyrite. …

AHEAD of a major protest in Ennis on Saturday (January 29), a short film has been released highlighting the struggle for redress of pyrite homeowners across the county.  The nine-minute film, by Simon Barr, is the third part of a series which also documents the mica crisis in Donegal and the impact of pyrite in Mayo. It hears from a number of homeowners, including a woman from Fanore who described how she had to sleep in her dining room at one point, amid fears that her gable wall would fall down during stormy weather. The piece traces the foundation of the Clare Pyrite Action Group (CPAG) in September 2020 after Dr Martina Cleary put out an appeal for others affected to contact her. “Once I realised I wasn’t alone, there was great solace in that,” the Crusheen woman told Mr Barr.   The film goes on to follow the increasing numbers of homeowners that have come forward, with the membership …