Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 29 June 2023
308. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage how he plans to address the severe staffing shortages in the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office; the additional resourcing he will provide to the office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31894/23]
View answerThe National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office (or the NBCMSO) is located within Dublin City Council and provides oversight, support and direction for the development, standardisation and implementation of Building Control and Market Surveillance as an effective shared service in the 31 Building Control Authorities through five pillars. These pillars are:
• training,
• inspections;
• compliance support;
• Building Control Management System (BCMS); and
• market surveillance.
Similar to other shared services, the NBCMSO is funded by the local authorities. The NBCMSO seeks approval from the Local Government Management Agency annually to charge local authorities.
In relation to staffing, the business cases for the NBCMSO estimates 12 staff, in total, are required to carry out the functions within its scope. The Department understands 10 staff are in place at present and 2 positions are in the process of being filled. Each local authority Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. This applies to the NBCMSO, within Dublin City Council also.
My Department fully supports the work of the NBCMSO and considers it a key element of the Government’s ongoing building control reform agenda, with its many initiatives that already provide a comprehensive roadmap for embedding a culture of real compliance within the construction industry. My Department is working with the County and City Management Association (CCMA), Dublin City Council and the NBCMSO to ensure that the NBCMSO is properly positioned to provide an optimal shared service to local authorities.
