Vol. 477 No. 5
172 Mr. Molloy asked the Minister for the Environment the traceability procedures, if any, in place to ensure that all reinforced steel used in grant-aided buildings and structures complies with British standard 4449; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6525/97]
The primary means for enforcing construction standards are the Building Regulations and the related Technical Guidance Documents. Part D of the First Schedule to the regulations requires the works to which the regulations apply are carried out with proper materials. For this purpose, proper materials includes materials complying with an appropriate Irish standard or a technical specification from a member state of the European Union which provides an equivalent level of safety and suitability.
Under EU Law, regulations, public procurement specifications or grant conditions cannot require the exclusive use of reinforcing steel to particular national standard without also permitting the use of reinforcing steel made to an "equivalent" national standard of any other EU member state.
It is a matter for those designing buildings to specify the quality of reinforcing steel and to require the production of evidence that relevant steel meets the specified quality. Such evidence may include a third party certificate issued by a national accredited certification body, including the UK Certification Authority for Reinforcing Steels (CARES).
As the enforcement of the building regulations is primarily a matter for local building control authorities, any representations about the use of sub-standard reinforcing steel on a specific project should be made to the relevant authority.
