asked the Minister for the Environment when he proposes to bring into full commission the national building regulations; if he will outline for each local authority which will have responsibility for the administration of the regulations (i) the number of technical staff which they had in January, 1980 and (ii) the number of technical staff which they had on 1 September, 1980, who have direct responsibility for the administration of the regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Building Regulations.
10.
It is not possible at this stage to say when national building regulations will come into force. The question of how the regulations are to be administered and the number and type of staff that will be required on their administration has not yet been decided so it is not possible to answer the second part of the question. For the information of the Deputy the number of technical staff employed in operating building by-laws, which will be replaced when the building regulations are made, in the six local authorities which operate building by-laws are:—
Dublin Corporation 14; Dublin County Council 37; Cork Corporation 10 (+3 vacant posts); Limerick Corporation 2 (part time); Dun Laoghaire 3; Bray 1 (part time).
In view of the concern of all sections of the building industry would the Minister indicate — I did not hear properly the first part of his reply — when he proposes to bring into operation the revised national building regulations and whether the local authorities on a national scale — because the Minister said only six of them are operating them at present — will operate them and administer them or whether the industry itself will take on some form of responsibility for certification?
The draft building regulations were published for public comment in November 1976. Over 500 comments were received and a working party of technical and administrative personnel was set up. The working party has now completed its task and work is proceeding on the preparation of a final draft of the regulations. When the regulations are introduced they will apply nationally.
This is a somewhat complex matter but the industry does not know where it stands in relation to by-laws and building standards and the Department of Energy is making various recommendations. When will the national building regulations take legal effect and how does the Minister prepose to administer them?
It is too early yet to say when they will take legal effect. I do not want to tell the Deputy something now and have to go back on it later. The working party have concluded their work on the 500 comments received on the original document. I am not in a position to say when they will be coming into force. I know that the building industry is concerned about the matter. I am concerned about it and anxious to have the situation regularised as soon as possible. I hope that in the meantime the building sector will use the draft regulation as a voluntary guide on which to work.
A final supplementary, please, Deputy.
Is the Minister aware that while the building industry is quite prepared to use them as a guide the major local authorities, the six of them who operate building by-laws, are obliged legally to operate out-of-date by-laws. There is no directive to them. That is the problem, not that the industry will not voluntarily use them with the result that they have to reconcile——
A question, please, Deputy.
What action does the Minister propose to take in that regard?
I do not want to give the Deputy a time——
I think three and a half years is long enough.
There were 500 comments and if the Deputy were wearing his other hat he would realise that building regulations are not something on which you decide overnight. When we are introducing them it is as well to get them right. I hope they will be available in the near future but I do not want to give a specific time.
Ceisteanna 11, 12 and 13 are for written reply.