Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 30 April 2014
443. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 364 of 8 April 2014, the industry sources his Department made contact with to assess the steel industries ability to comply with the new obligations under the Construction Products Regulation and the requirements of I.S. EN 1090-1:2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18553/14]
View answerMy Department has no role in assessing the ability of steel fabricators to comply with their obligations under the Construction Products Regulation and I.S. EN 1090-1:2009. Nevertheless, my Department has been working with a wide range of organisations in both the public and private sectors in order to ensure that the construction industry was made aware of, and could prepare for, the Construction Products Regulation which came into full effect throughout the European Union on 1 July 2013.
In early 2012, my Department, working through Building Regulations Advisory Body structures, and in conjunction with the National Standards Authority of Ireland, the National Roads Authority, the Office of Public Works, HomeBond and the Building Materials Federation, prepared an information paper setting out the implications for manufacturers, importers and distributors in relation to placing construction products on the market arising from the introduction of the Construction Product Regulations on 1 July 2013. This information paper was widely circulated to stakeholders throughout the construction sector by my Department and by each of the participating organisations. My Department has also proactively promoted awareness of the Construction Products Regulations at key industry conferences and workshops. In addition, a comprehensive three-month public consutlation was held as an integral part of the development of the supporting European Union (Construction Products) Regulations 2013 which set out the framework for market surveillance in Ireland under the Construction Products Regulation.
As set out in the reply to Question No. 364 of 8 April 2014, the co-existence period for EN 1090-1:2009 was extended by the European Commission by an additional twelve months in recognition of the fact that many small steel fabricators would benefit from the add ed time to prepare for the coming into effect of the standard’s requirements. The steel industry throughout Europe has now had over three and a half years since the publication of that standard to prepare for its implementation. While my Department will continue to work with all stakeholders to facilitate the implementation of the Construction Products Regulation in Ireland, I would urge all affected steel fabricators to make the arrangements necessary to comply with their obligations under both the Construction Products Regulation and I.S. EN 1090-1:2009 at the earliest possible opportunity.
