Vol. 508 No. 4
194 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if, further to Parliamentary Question No. 545 of 29 September 1999, he will introduce regulations or legislation to establish an agency or body to act as a statutory, regulatory and supervisory body with regard to the standards of electrical wiring installations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19276/99]
I am not primarily responsible for the safety of electrical wiring installations, which is governed by the standards laid down by the Electro-Technical Council of Ireland, ETCI, and it would not be a matter for me to sponsor legislation on the lines requested by the Deputy.
In the interest of public safety, the Electricity Supply Board requires all electrical wiring installations in new buildings to be installed or certified by an electrical contractor member of the Register of Electrical Contractors of Ireland, RECI, or the South Western Electrical Contractors Association, SWECA. Any review of the effectiveness of this requirement would be a matter for the ESB. The legislation for the ESB is the responsibility of my colleague, the Minister for Public Enterprise.
The standard of low voltage switch fuse units used in domestic electrical installations is governed by regulations, S.I. No. 428 of 1992, as amended by S.I. No. 307 of 1994, implementing a relevant EU Directive, 73/23/EEC as amended by Directive 93/68/EEC. The enforcement of these relevant regulations is a matter for the Director of Consumer Affairs who operates under the aegis of the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
