Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 April 2014
361. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there is no provision for a self builder to sign a certification of compliance and completion, particularly where a number of those persons would be registered with the National Guild of Master Craftsmen, rather than the register of builders of the Construction Industry Federation. [16879/14]
View answer362. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will amend the building regulations which came into operation on 1 March 2014, to exclude one off housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16940/14]
View answer394. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason he is stating that persons can elect to self-build under the new building control regulations when prospective self-builders in County Galway are being informed that Galway County Council will not accept self-builders as assigned builders unless they are the principal or director of a building company or unless the documentation is changed and Galway County Council is notified of this as if people strike out the line relating to being the director of a company on the undertaking by the builder a challenge may later be taken to the legality of the document; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16605/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 361, 362 and 394 together.
I refer to the reply to Question No. 132 of 26 March 2014 which addresses comprehensively the use of the statutory certificates in a self-build scenario. The Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 do not require the use of builders who are registered with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). Owners however have a duty of care to appoint competent persons to work on site and it is in this context that reliance on industry registers may be of assistance to them. The CIF is in the process of setting up a voluntary register known as the Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) and the Government is committed to placing this register on a statutory footing in 2015. While no legislative proposals for the statutory register have been devised as yet, it is not intended that any such proposals would confine or restrict either self-build or one-off housing.
Galway County Council were correct to indicate, when asked, that the wording of the certificates may not be varied or amended by any signatory as the certificates are prescribed forms. However, the Regulations place no restriction on self-build but an owner who undertakes to act as builder should be satisfied that they are competent to do so. A building control authority has no role in approving or rejecting the assignment, which, as indicated, is the responsibility of the owner. I understand that, Galway County Council has now responded definitively to the persons concerned along the lines outlined above
