Vol. 540 No. 1
95 Mr Sargent asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the reason Ireland continues to build houses using cavity blocks and poor insulation generally resulting in Ireland being at the bottom of international league tables for energy efficient building stock measurements. [19894/01]
The building regulations do not place a restriction on the use of any particular method of construction or product, provided the performance requirements of the regulations are met, for example, in relation to thermal performance and structural stability. It is a matter for building owners, designers and builders to ensure that their buildings comply with the regulations and to select the form of construction and product which best meets their needs in achieving this.
Technical guidance document L, which accompanies the regulations, provides guidance on the thermal performance standards of various elements in buildings, including roofs, walls and so on. For typical construction, the technical guidance document provides guidance on determining the thickness of insulation material required to achieve the standards, taking account of the thermal properties of both the insulation and the basic construction.
In November 2000, I published my proposals for revised thermal performance and insulation requirements for new dwellings. I intend to publish a draft of the revised technical guidance document L as a consultation document shortly. All interested parties will then have an opportunity to comment during the consultation process.
