Building Regulations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 10 May 2017

Wednesday, 10 May 2017

Ceisteanna (133, 135, 136)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

133. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number and percentage of developments that are exempt or availing of the opt out clause under the building control regulations including new single dwellings, domestic extensions greater than or equal to 40m2 and extensions of less than 40m2 that have been inspected in each local authority since the introduction of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations in September 2015; the local authorities which have inspected less than 12% to 15% of validly commenced building units; and if inspecting less than this percentage of exempted or opt out developments is considered a breach of their statutory responsibilities under the Building Control Act 1990. [22226/17]

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

135. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of building inspections by building control authorities of multi unit dwellings carried out in each local authority in each of the years 2015 to 2016. [22228/17]

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

136. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the way in which his Department monitors that building control authorities are fulfilling their roles as described in section 3.6.1 of the Code of Practice for Inspecting and Certifying Buildings and Works (details supplied); and the way his Department measures an appropriate level of assessment and inspection. [22229/17]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 133, 135 and 136 together.

In relation to the Deputy's request, the matters referred to are matters for local authorities, who are independent in the use of their statutory powers under the Building Control Acts 1990 - 2014.

In line with the agreed Performance Indicators for Local Government, Building Control Authorities are required to carry out a level of inspection equivalent to 12% to 15% of new buildings for which valid commencement notices have been received and the National Oversight & Audit Commission (NOAC) report for 2015 provides that the median figure for all local Building Control Authorities was 24%.

The Local Government Management Agency collected data on inspections carried out up to 2013 and published this information in the Service Indicators in Local Authorities reports from 2005 to 2013. These reports are available at http://www.lgma.ie/en/publication-category/service-indicator-reports-2004-2010.

Following the commencement of the Local Government Reform Act 2014, the (NOAC) now collects and publishes this data. The Performance Indicators in Local Authorities reports for 2014 & 2015 are available at http://noac.ie/noac-reports/. The 2016 report will be published in due course once it is finalised.