I welcome the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Deputy Hogan, to the House.
Adjournment Matters
Clár Togála Scoile
Cuirim céad fáilte ar ais roimh an Aire óna chuid taistil ar fad. Tá mé ag árdú ceiste a thagann chun cinn ó am go ham agus tá mé ag iarraidh a bheith roimh rudaí i mbliana seachas a bheith tar éis rudaí. Gach bliain, le roinnt mhaith blianta anuas, cloistear fógra ón Rialtas a rá nach raibh an buiséad caipitil caite maidir le tógáil scoileanna. Tá súil agam nach é sin an scéal a bheas an i mbliana. Tá mé cinnte, ó na geallúintí a thug an Rialtas nach é, mar go bhfuil airgead gann.
I am raising an issue pertinent to the schools building programme. The Minister might agree that over the past number of years we would hear from the Department of Education and Skills that there has been an underspend in the capital programme, with moneys not fully drawn down for different reasons. Projects may be held up, stalled or experience problems with planning permission. In these times of fiscal constraint we do not want to be in a similar position at the end of this year. I am asking the Minister for information regarding the capital build programme to date for this year and if it can be compared with 2008 to 2011, inclusive. Where do we stand as we are half way through the year? My understanding is that we are approximately a third of the way through the budget. Any good accountant would consider the projects and how many will come to fruition, along with any technical or other difficulties with other projects. That person may also consider if there is a plan B to ensure the money allocated to capital building will be spent by the end of the year.
It is particularly important this year, as there has been much controversy over the capital build programme, with many schools left out of it. We welcome that a number of schools are still in it, and it is important from the perspective of creating employment and providing proper accommodation for school children that we have a capital programme. It would totally unacceptable if we got to the end of the year and the Department told us all the money had not been spent. There are many worthy projects out there, and I would add the likes of Clifden community school in Connemara or Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Galway, as well as a number of other schools that we could all mention from our own constituencies. These projects are almost shovel-ready, at stage 2B of the planning process, and could proceed if allowed to go to tender.
What is plan B? If there is a likelihood that a number of the projects might fall by the wayside or behind schedule, with some funding remaining unspent, is there an alternative plan? Would the Department allow some of the schools that are just off the list to go to the tender process and talk to builders? If they have tenders ready, they should be given the go-ahead to start building, although we know money is tight and that it is important to manage budgets well.
Cuirim fáilte roimh an Aire agus tá mé ag súil go mór leis an bhfreagra atá aige agus tá súil agam go mbeidh freagra dearfach aige dúinn anocht.
I thank the Senator for raising this matter as it affords me an opportunity to outline to the House the current position on the schools capital building programme to date in 2012.
The capital allocation available in 2012 under subhead F01 for primary and post-primary schools amounts to €357 million, of which almost €149 million has been expended to date. This level of expenditure at the halfway point of the year is over €12 million ahead of the profiled expenditure to the end of June. In percentage terms, expenditure has reached 42% of the 2012 allocation and this compares with an expenditure level at the end of the equivalent month in 2011 of 34%, in 2010 of 18%, in 2009 of 23% and in 2008 of 50%.
The expenditure incurred to date on the various sub-programmes that constitute the overall capital programme is as follows: on large-scale projects, €104.7 million; site acquisition, €7.4 million; additional accommodation, €20.7 million; emergency works —€3.3 million; pre-2012 schemes — summer works, jobs initiated, etc. —€9.5 million; furniture and equipment, €1.4 million; and miscellaneous items, €1.7 million. The expenditure on large-scale projects which stands at almost €105 million will continue throughout the second half of the year. I can inform the Senator that there are 61 large-scale projects on site, while 11 have reached substantial completion so far this year. In addition, the Senator can be assured that in the months ahead further projects will also advance to construction and incur expenditure.
In view of the need to ensure every child has access to a school place, the delivery of major school projects to meet demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The five year programme announced in March is focused on meeting these demographic needs. All school building projects will continue to be advanced incrementally over time within the context of the funding available. Schools which have not been included in the five year construction programme but which were announced for initial inclusion in the building programme will continue to have their projects progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in future years.
The Minister for Education and Skills is satisfied that the capital expenditure on schools to date in 2012 is performing ahead of expectations. At the beginning of 2012 a total of 60 major large school projects were under construction and last December details of a further 56 major school projects that were planned to advance to construction in 2012 were announced. Already 17 of these projects have commenced on site, while a further eight constitute schools bundle 3 under the PPP programme and will not incur expenditure in the subhead until completed. With 31 major school projects still to advance to construction in 2012, there are sufficient projects positioned to incur expenditure throughout the remaining months of the year.
I asked for a breakdown project by project, but it was not available. Perhaps I might receive it by email when it is available.
I note that all school building projects will continue to be advanced incrementally over time within the context of the funding available. For the projects about which I am talking substantial funds have been collected locally. They would be willing to agree to tender documents if the Department gave permission to do so. Perhaps the Minister might ask the Minister for Education and Skills if a school such as Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh which has money in its coffers and could go to tender, without prejudice to the capital moneys available, can be given permission to do so. If any of the projects was to fall behind, the school would at least be in a position to follow through in the future.
I note the Senator's comments. There might be opportunities to provide further funding to be made available for some projects, particularly the shovel ready projects the Senator outlined, in the context of a stimulus package that might emerge in due course.
Draft Building Regulations
Priory Hall residents never had a desire to become experts on building regulations, but, having been to hell and back in the last few years and studied and traced how these fire traps — their apartments — were allowed to be built in the first place, they have gained huge expertise. Apart from wanting to see their current problems solved, they are determined to do what they can to highlight the need for the regulations to be changed to prevent other families from ending up in a similar position. They have read the draft building control (amendment) regulations published by the Department and the chairman of the residents' group, Mr. Graham Usher, has contacted me and also written to the Minister about them. In tabling this matter for discussion on the Adjournment I sent the Minister a copy of the email I had received from Mr. Usher who raises serious concerns about the draft regulations. In his view, the Department has not learned the lessons of Priory Hall. I wish to state these concerns and hear the Minister's response to them.
Mr. Usher argues that the proposed amendments still focus on local authorities accepting and filing certificates of compliance. He points out that the relevant certificates for Priory Hall were filed and that this failed to prevent the problems from occurring. Under the 1990 Act, local authorities have the power to inspect works in progress. Clearly, they have not availed of it. It is the view of the residents that legislation should be used to turn this power into a statutory duty. In the past local authorities claimed they did not have the resources to carry out inspections of new developments, despite receiving huge amounts in development levies from residents. The levies in respect of Priory Hall came to huge amounts for a building in which the local authority failed to carry out its functions properly.
It is never acceptable for a building to be built without being properly inspected, or for a fire safety certificate to be issued before a brick has been laid, as happened in the case of Priory Hall, but that excuse should not stand up today, given the far lower level of development taking place and the availability of personnel to carry out inspections. I call on the Minister to ensure that under the new regulations, all buildings will be inspected and that if financial arrangements must be made to cover the cost, this will be done. The least families deserve after paying so much for their homes, particularly to the State in the form of stamp duty and levies, is that the building has been properly inspected to ensure it is safe.
Mr. Usher argues that if a decision is taken not to inspect all developments, at the very least, a targeted approach should taken, rather than maintaining the current system that appears to be random in nature. The decision to inspect should take into account the past history of the developer and any other available information that indicates there may be potential problems with a development. This would necessitate the sharing of information between 37 local authorities and any other State body involved in the construction process, possibly through having a centralised database, in order that the information available in one local authority would be available to all others. If such a system had been in place, it would have flagged the fact that the developer of Priory Hall had had problems with other developments. We saw how Ms Theresa McGuinness, a victim in one of McFeely's developments in County Louth, had to chase him over to London. It would also have flagged the fact that the Health and Safety Authority in 2006 had sought a High Court order to close the Priory Hall development owing to safety concerns. All of this information should have been flagged in making sure the local authority did its job and inspected the site. It seems, however, to the Priory Hall residents that the regulations still do not include a requirement on local authorities as the relevant fire safety authority to ensure compliance with the fire safety standards. Given that the chief fire officer for Dublin City Council has stated a fire could spread throughout the entire Priory Hall development within minutes owing to an absence of fire protection measures, it is a source of huge concern that a more proactive approach to fire safety does not seem to be central the draft regulations.
There is a chance to engage in a root and branch review of the current system. That is certainly the purpose behind the Minister's exercise. It is important, however, to ensure all the relevant safeguards are in place and that we do not opt for a stop-gap half measure. It is time to get it right in this area and ensure families can, at least, be assured their properties will be safe.
I have read with interest the correspondence received from the former resident of Priory Hall. I acknowledge and commend his constructive contribution to the ongoing process of amending the building control regulations. Coming from someone who is, like many others and through no fault of his own, living with the agony and distress caused by the failure of others to abide by their statutory responsibilities, the contribution is welcome, valid and, given the individual's own particular circumstances, remarkably well balanced. I have set in train my intention to change the building regulations before any matters came to light regarding Priory Hall. Therefore, my bona fidesoo are quite solid.
I respectfully counter the assertion that the proposed changes to the building control regulations fail to address the building failures we have seen in housing and apartment developments in recent years. Notwithstanding this, the correspondence in question clearly identifies many of the shortcomings in the current arrangements for building control which the package of measures I announced in July 2011 are intended to and will address. Broadly speaking, these measures include mandatory certification by competent professionals, lodgement of drawings and more meaningful oversight and inspection of building activity by local authorities and private sector construction professionals.
The key step will be the early introduction of mandatory certificates of compliance confirming, with appropriate documentary evidence, that the statutory requirements of the building regulations have been met for the building in question. These certificates will not resemble the opinions of compliance referred to in the correspondence, which are currently provided for conveyance purposes and which are not a part of the statutory building control process but are often misrepresented as being such. Mandatory certificates will mean what they say and will be signed by professionals who understand and accept their responsibilities and the liability that goes with the consequences of failing to meet them.
Mandatory certification, of itself, depends on the integrity of those concerned and must, therefore, be coupled with more rigorous oversight of construction activity. I have, therefore, approved proposals devised by my Department and County and City Managers Association representatives that will achieve the following: involve more efficient pooling of building control staff and resources across the local authority sector; standardised approaches and common protocols to ensure nationwide consistency in the administration of building control functions; and better support the further development of the building control function nationwide. This will ensure more effective and meaningful oversight and inspection of building activity, and will facilitate the move to a more risk-based approach by local authorities, which the correspondent correctly identifies as being necessary.
From a regulatory perspective, there is much that can be done to improve the system, and this is receiving priority attention within the Department. It is only right and proper that any moves to strengthen the system to ensure the burden of compliance with statutory requirements rests with the responsible parties and is not invidiously pushed on to the consumer or State. There is an urgent need for the professions in the industry, and builders and contractors and their representative groups, to step up to the plate when delivering on their obligations to provide a reliable level of professionalism and quality for consumers.
I thank the correspondent for his constructive and thought-provoking contribution. As the Senator knows, the proposed building control (amendment) regulations were released for public consultation. This consultation period closed just a few weeks ago on 24 May 2012. Some 500 submissions have been received and are currently being reviewed by my Department with a view to having a final set of regulations providing for mandatory certification and lodgement of drawings ready to be signed into law in the coming months. I assure the Senator I am making changes to the building control regulations that will be very different from those agreed by my predecessors, the latter having contributed to problems like those in Priory Hall. Nobody should doubt my determination in this matter.
I will reserve judgment until we see the final draft. I appreciate the Minister's statement that he has taken on board the issues raised by the former resident of Priory Hall and the fact that he, the Minister, appreciates how well informed and well balanced the resident's contribution is.
The Seanad adjourned at 8.35 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday, 27 June 2012.