Vol. 497 No. 1
9 Mr. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he will amend the planning laws to make health and safety plans mandatory in any planning permission application in view of the level of accidents and deaths in the construction industry. [21149/98]
Health and safety plans are mandatory for most construction sites under the Safety, Health and Welfare At Work (Construction), Regulations 1995 (S. I. No. 138 of 1995). This is an independent statutory code. Site safety is not an appropriate matter for regulation under planning legislation.
While the Minister of State with responsibility for Labour, Trade and Consumer Affairs has responsibility for worker safety, in view of my overall responsibilities in relation to the construction industry I have repeatedly expressed my deep concern about the unacceptable level of fatal accidents and injuries on building sites. The report of the Strategic Review Committee on the Construction Industry, Building Our Future Together, published in June 1997, contained important recommendations to relation to site safety. In October 1997 I established a Forum for the Construction Industry to oversee and advise on the implementation of the almost 90 recommendations contained in this report.
In August l998 I asked the forum, as a matter of urgency, to furnish me an interim report on improving the health, safety and welfare of construction workers. I understand that interim report is nearing completion and will be submitted to me next month.
I take it from the Minister's reply he is not considering any change to planning legislation in the context of the proposed planning legislation which will come before the House in the next six months and, if so, will he reconsider that? It would be a good idea to make a health and safety report mandatory in any planning permission application. Until we focus the mind of the construction industry on this issue in the context of the planning permission process, there will not be a reduction in the number accidents and deaths that have increasingly occurred on building sites in recent years.
I may not have made the position clear. Such plans are mandatory for most construction sites, but they are not mandatory under planning legislation. Such legislation is not particularly suitable for the inclusion of that type of code.
It deals with enforcements. If provisions on specific activity have to be adhered to in respect of a planning permission application, builders will be more conscious about implementing such provisions when a building is completed.
I am not sure that is true. I tend to take the opposite view. It is better to include such provisions in specific legislation on health and safety rather than include them under the planning code. The Deputy will be aware from his experience at local level that planning enforcement officers are put to the pin of their collar trying to enforce the planning regulations. It is better to maintain the focus on this area where it is at present. The Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, recently recruited an additional 13 staff to this specific area and that should assist us in improving the position. I share the Deputy's concern, but I do not consider it is appropriate to include such provisions in planning legislation.
There was a suggestion some months ago that builders should not be allowed to move to another building site until they have completed the necessary work on the one on which they are working. Is the Minister considering including that type of provision in the proposed legislation?
The Deputy raised that point with me during the earlier consultation process on planning. A number of Deputies are concerned about that area and it is being considered in relation to the planning legislation we are proposing to amend.
As some of the Deputies who have tabled questions are not present, could we move to deal with Question No. 12 in the name of Deputy Dukes and Question No. 13 in my name.
That is not possible because there are only 40 seconds to deal with Questions Nos. 11 and 85.
