Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 31 January 2017
284. Deputy Josepha Madigan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the recourse available to apartment owners being footed with a bill for issues that they had no involvement in (details supplied). [3804/17]
View answerI wish to acknowledge the anxiety and upset caused to the owners and residents of housing developments, including the development referred to, when fire safety and other building defect issues arise.
Under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings. Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 31 local building control authorities who have extensive powers of inspection and investigation under the Acts. Neither I nor my Department has any role in relation to enforcement matters and cannot interfere in individual cases.
Building defects, in general, are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved, i.e. the homeowner, the builder/developer and/or their respective insurers.
