Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2004
588 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he has satisfied himself that building regulations provide for adequate soundproofing in partition walls between adjoining properties; if he has plans to introduce, amend or alter existing regulations regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25413/04]
View answerPart E of the building regulations sets out the current legal requirements in relation to sound in buildings. Part E 1 requires that walls separating dwellings shall have reasonable resistance to airborne sound. Technical guidance document, TGD, E provides guidance on how to comply with these requirements.
Compliance with the building regulations is primarily the responsibility of the designers, builders and owners of buildings. Enforcement of the regulations is a function of the local building control authorities. I intend to initiate a review of Part E and the related TGD E in 2005, in the light of a Home Bond study of sound insulation standards in Ireland and selected other EU member states due to be completed by the end of this year.
