Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 November 2018
315. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the site visits to building sites for school projects conducted by his Department or by other agents on his behalf, specifically all visits to sites operated by a company (details supplied) since 2008; and the reports and or observations submitted as a result of these visits. [45129/18]
View answerUnder my Department;'s Design Team Procedures, when a contract is awarded the Contractor must provide the Employers Representative, before the Starting Date, a detailed programme, in the form set down in the Contract, that will permit effective monitoring of the works.
The Contractor is obliged to submit to the Employer’s Representative monthly progress reports, in the form set down in the Contract, within 7 days after the end of the month.
The Employer’s Representative must schedule regular meetings attended by the Contractor’s Representative and the Employer’s Representative and attended by the Employer’s and Contractor’s personnel, as required. The standard approach on school building projects is to schedule such site meetings on a fortnightly basis through the construction period.
Separate to the role of Employer’s Representative, which is an external party appointed by the Department under the Public Works Contract, the Department’s own technical staff act as client liaison on school building projects constructed under the Design & Build process. The responsibilities of the client liaison include reporting on progress to the Department; bringing any potential programme delays to the attention of the Department; keeping the school community awaiting completion of the building informed of progress; involving the School Authorities in selecting of internal colour schemes, and ensuring that the contractor is aware of any particular project or school requirements. The client liaison is not involved in the certification of the works.
Under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations introduced in 2014, an Assigned Certifier must be appointed. Since 2014, the Department has appointed an independent qualified third party to act as Assigned Certifier on all Design and Build school projects.
On school projects designed by the Employer, the lead Architect on the design team usually acts as the Assigned Certifier.
The Assigned Certifier coordinates and implements an inspection plan through the construction process.
At project completion, the Assigned Certifier gathers the ancillary certificates, which are provided by the contractor, its subcontractors and design team, and executes a Certificate of Compliance on Completion.
The Assigned Certifier is not, however, responsible for the supervision of the builder.
Since September 2017, in addition to the Assigned Certifier, the Department now appoints a full-time resident Clerk of Works on all major school construction projects. The role of a Clerk of Works is to represent the interests of the client with regard to ensuring that the quality of both materials and workmanship is in accordance with the architect’s/engineer’s drawings and specifications. This includes inspection of materials and workmanship through the construction process.
