To ask the Minister for Communities (i) how many Housing Executive homes were found to have the presence of mould and fungus in each of the last three financial years; (ii) whether any of this mould was tested; (iii) whether any of the moulds tested were found to be dangerous to residents; and (iv) what is being done to resolve this issue.

The Housing Executive does not generally undertake testing when mould is found, but offers advice to tenants to remove the mould and prevent it from returning.

However, the Housing Executive takes complaints of mould seriously and, when actions taken by its response maintenance staff have not resolved the situation, it appoints expert consultants to carry out investigations to survey properties, identify the cause and provide recommendations. Once completed, a planned scheme can proceed to remedy this situation. These works could be a combination of improved ventilation, insulation and heating, along with providing advice to the tenant to avoid reoccurrence. Whilst the Housing Executive cannot provide statistics relating to exactly how many properties have had these investigations carried out, it is currently progressing three schemes as planned works to deal with damp and mould.

The Housing Executive has also recently awarded contracts to insulate the No Fines stock to help avoid and remedy damp and mould issues which can be prevalent in this form of construction. The term “no fines” refers to a type of concrete found in older dwellings of non-standard construction that does not contain fine aggregates.

The Response Maintenance teams also educate tenants on lifestyle choices which can contribute to the causes of condensation, which can frequently cause mould.