Fine Gael TD for Dublin North, Alan Farrell, has condemned Homebond’s decision not to appear before the Oireachtas Committee for the Environment, Transport, Culture and the Gaeltacht as part of its investigation into the cost of restoring the structural integrity of houses damaged by Pyrite.
“The decision by Homebond to ignore the democratic mandate of the Oireachtas is an insult to the estimated 20,000 people who own pyrite-affected homes. These people, 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. Homebond has a responsibility to these people to account for themselves before the national parliament, as has been requested. I would ask why they are trying to avoid the questions raised by the Committee?
“Pyrite is a national issue, and a matter of serious public importance. There is no justification for any private entity to ignore matters of such public importance. If Homebond insists that it is their right to shirk the legal responsibility of this issue, inevitably onto the taxpayer, they have a duty to explain their actions.
“Pyrite is a building material which has caused significant damage to homes. It has been used in the construction of an estimated 20,000 Irish houses, including a large amount of homes in north Dublin, Meath and Kildare. It has left home owners facing massive bills for problems such as raised floors, swollen and cracked walls and warped and jammed doors and windows.
“As the owner of a house with pyritic backfill and having worked on this issue as a public representative since 2007, I am extremely frustrated by Homebond’s failure to appear before the Oireachtas Committee. Unfortunately this no-show is reflective of its general lack of cooperation with affected homeowners since this issue came to light.
“I fully condemn Homebond’s refusal to appear before the Oireachtas Committee, and I will support the Minister for the Environment, Phil Hogan, and the Committee in all their endeavours to ensure that we receive a full explanation for its actions.”