Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 April 2012
152 Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Question No. 585 of 2 February 2010, if he will confirm his policy and plans in the area of building regulations; his plans to further amend the various acts quoted in that reply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20753/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn July 2011, I announced a number of measures to be advanced by my Department and local authorities with a view to improving compliance with, and oversight of, the requirements of the Building Regulations.
In broad terms the measures will involve:
(a) the introduction of mandatory certificates of compliance by builders and designers of buildings confirming that the statutory requirements of the Building Regulations have been met;
(b) the lodgement of drawings at both commencement and completion of construction, demonstrating how the building has been designed and built to comply with all parts of the Building Regulations;
(c) more efficient pooling of building control staff and resources across the local authority sector to ensure more effective oversight of building activity;
(d) standardised approaches and common protocols to ensure nationwide consistency in the administration of building control functions;
(e) better support and further development of the building control function nationwide.
I have recently released, for public consultation, proposed Building Control (Amendment) Regulations which will provide for mandatory certification and the lodgement of drawings as referred to at (a) and (b) above. The draft regulations and an explanatory document to inform the public consultation process are currently available on the Department's website www.environ.ie. The closing date for submissions in relation to the proposed regulations is 24 May 2012.
The other measures referred to above, relevant to more meaningful oversight of building activity by building control authorities and improved functioning of building control authorities, are being advanced separately by local authorities in consultation with the Department in the context of the wider programme of achieving greater efficiencies in the local government system.
Mandatory certification, lodgement of drawings and improved inspection arrangements as outlined above are key reforms which, I believe, will have the capacity to improve the quality of buildings and will lead to further strengthening of the regulatory regime as early as possible in 2012.
