Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 November 2022
87. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the current names of the members of National Standards Authority of Ireland committee that are now reviewing I.S. 465 and details on the international experts that they have consulted with or plan to consult with; when will the committee conclude its work and make recommendations to the Government. [55197/22]
View answerThe National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) is an independent agency, under the aegis of my Department. As part of its remit, NSAI carries out a range of operational functions, some of which are in areas which fall within the lead policy responsibility of other Departments. In this context, NSAI carries out activities in relation to construction products, which is an area within the lead policy responsibility of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage.
I.S. 465 is the Irish Standard relating to the assessment, testing and categorisation of damaged buildings incorporating concrete blocks containing certain deleterious materials.
Members of the NSAI Committee TC 063 tasked with revision of I.S. 465, are the following –
|
Tim Brosnan |
DOSA Consulting Engineers |
|
Eddie Comerford |
Association of Consulting Engineers Ireland |
|
Simon Dolphin |
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
|
James Duane |
Sustainability and Built Environment, NSAI |
|
Seamus Duggan |
Master Builders and Contractors Association |
|
Mike Eden |
Sandberg Materials Consultancy |
|
Thomas Holden |
Roadstone |
|
Frank Lee |
Chair |
|
Dermot McCarty |
Roadstone |
|
Damien McKay |
Mica Action Group |
|
Tom Moore |
SLR Consulting/Construction Industry Federation |
|
Ken Mulkerrins |
Kilsaran |
|
Ken Murphy |
NSAI Secretariat |
|
Eanna Nolan |
Cement Manufacturers Ireland |
|
Aidan O'Connell |
Engineers Ireland |
|
David Power |
Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland |
|
Paul Quigley |
IGSL/Institute of Geologists of Ireland |
|
Mairtin Ruane |
Mayo Co Co |
|
Colin Scott |
Engineers Ireland |
|
Conor Taaffe |
Homebond |
|
John Wickham |
Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage |
|
Eoin Wyse |
Institute of Geologists of Ireland |
|
Yvonne Wylde |
NSAI |
Besides international experts who are listed above, the Committee has engaged with and received presentations from a number of international experts, namely, Petrolab Ltd, and a group of interested experts made up of Professor Paul Dunlop of Ulster University, Dr Andreas Leemann of the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Material Science (Empa), and Mr Thomas Campbell of the TA Group. The Committee welcomes further substantive technical information that could inform the revision of I.S. 465 from any source, including from international experts, and it remains alert and open to engaging with relevant experts.
Under the direction of the Defective Concrete Blocks (DCB) Technical Matters Steering Group, chaired by the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, the Committee is continuing its work to define the research programme to be procured in support of the revision of I.S. 465.
The NSAI will complete its work as soon as possible. Progress will depend on further information including research output becoming available to the Committee.
