About this event

The issue of Defective Concrete Blocks, containing deleterious materials, particularly Pyrite, Mica and Reactive Sulphates is one currently impacting thousands of homeowners in the western seaboard counties of Ireland. As walls crack and homes crumble, the financial, legal and psychological consequences on very ordinary people is becoming a widening crisis, affecting all parts of our communities. In November 2021 the Irish Government announced a revised Grant Scheme, to cost the Irish State a historic €2.2 billion to address the problem. However this Grant Scheme, which has yet to be passed into legislation, is based upon limited research and is also currently geographically restricted to two counties, leaving thousands beyond hope of any assistance at all.

The aim of this online conference is to initiate discussion and encourage further research into this issue. As the scale and scope of the problem broadens, so too does the need to establish a community of expertise to address the widening crisis.

The conference will be held over two days, with thematic focus on the following areas;

Living with Defective Concrete Blocks - Impacted Homeowner Perspectives, Engineering and Technical Analysis, Governance and Regulation, Rebuilding Options and Future Thinking, Physical and Mental Health Impacts.

This event was organised by Dr. Martina Cleary, Lecturer Dept of Fine Art & Education, LSAD.

Programme

Monday 30th May

10:00 - 10:10 Registration

10:10 – 10:20 Conference Introduction, Dr. Martina Cleary, Lecturer, LSAD, TUS, CPAG Chairperson.

10:20 – 10:50 Eoin Ó Broin Keynote - ‘Who is Responsible for Building Defects & Defective Building Materials & Who Should Pay for Remediation’

10:50 – 11:10 Josephine Murphy & Connor O’Donnell, ‘Emergence of the Problem in County Mayo’.

11:10 – 11:30 Dr. Martina Cleary, ‘Overview of Defective Blocks in County Clare’.

11:30 – 11:50 Rose Conway Walsh TD, ‘The Pyrite Journey - A Mayo Perspective’.

11:50 – 12:10 Panel Discussion Chaired by Mary Hanley Vice Chair CPAG

12:10 – 12:30 Fiona Mc Garry, Lecturer In Journalism and Communication NUIG & Journalist for The Clare Champion, 'Reporting on Clare's Pyrite Crisis - The Centrality of Human Interest Sources'.

Lunch Break 12:30 – 13:30

13:30 – 13:50 Simon Beale, Consultant Engineer, ‘Defective Concrete Blocks in Mayo & Clare’.

13:50 – 14:10 Aidan O’Connell Structural Engineer AOCA, Fellow Engineers Ireland, National Overview.

14:10 – 14:30 Bradley Staniforth Petrolab UK, ‘Petrographic Analysis of Deleterious Materials.’

14:30 – 14:50 Corinne Garner, Senior Mineralogist, Petrolab, ‘The Mundic Problem’.

14:50 – 15:10 Panel Discussion- Chaired by Dr. Martina Cleary CPAG

15:10 – 15:30 Coffee Break

15:30 – 15:45 Mairéad Phelan, Head of National Building Control & Market Surveillance, ‘Standards and Regulations’.

15:45 – 16:00 Seamus Maye, International Small Business Alliance, 'Liability, Access to Justice, Solutions'.

16:00 – 16:15 Alan Carr Lecturer, Dept of Built Environment TUS, 'Between house and home: an overview of risk and liability'.

16:15 – 16:30 Panel Discussion

Tuesday 31st May

9:50 - 10:00 Registration

10:00 – 11:15 Donal Byrne - Big Red Barn
Alan Ledwidth- Terratonics- Foundations For The Future
Gerard Clarke - Fast-House Timber Frame
Jonathan Ballantine - Ballantine Building Solutions LTD
Q&A

11:15 - 11:30 Coffee Break

11:30 – 11:45 Dr. Tom Woolley, Hemp Co-Operative Ireland, 'Natural Building Techniques, Ecological Methods and Materials'.

11:45 – 12:00 Sally Starbuck, accredited Client Advisor, &, Environmental Architect of Gaïa ecotecture, 'Collaborative construction at The ecoVillage Cloughjordan - community cooperation and collective purchasing power'.

12:00 – 12:15 Sue Corcoran, Lecturer Dept of Built Environment, TUS 'Considering Living Spaces'

12:15 – 12:30 Panel Discussion - Chaired by Dr. Rita Scully Dept of Built Environment TUS.

12:30 – 13:30 Lunch Break

13:30 – 13:50 Dr. Lorcan Byrne, Lecturer in Dept of Applied Social Sciences, TUS, ‘Impacts of Housing Insecurity’

13:50 – 14:10 Cyril Hyland, Lets Get Talking – ‘The Experience and Impact of Loss’

14:10 – 14:30 Dr. Michael Carmody, ‘Living in A Condemned Home’.

14:30 – 14:50 Panel Discussion - Chaired by Dr. Lisa O'Rourke Scott, Head of Discipline, Psychology, TUS.

14:50 – 15:00 Close of Conference