Stephen Donnelly (Wicklow, Independent)
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403. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the reason for the withdrawal of the building control management system; the way this service is now being delivered; the consultants engaged; the ongoing costs and the funding model for delivering this service to local authorities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16672/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Responsibility for the control of building activity is currently vested in 37 local building control authorities in line with the Building Control Act 1990. The new Building Control Management System (BCMS) is an online system which facilitates the electronic administration of building control functions. As such it will greatly benefit building control authorities and owners, builders and construction professionals in discharging their separate and distinct responsibilities under the Building Control Act 1990 and the regulations made thereunder. The BCMS does not alter in any way the discharge of the legal powers vested in each local building control authority who will continue to be independently responsible for the oversight and enforcement of building control requirements in their own administrative area.

The BCMS, developed by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) with the assistance of external consultants, came into operation on 1 March 2014 in line with the commencement of the new Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014 which support its deployment as the preferred means of administration on building control matters. The system will provide a common platform for clear and consistent administration of building control matters across the local authority sector. In addition, it will facilitate the risk analysis of all projects for which commencement notices are received, which will inform each building control authority's own inspection arrangements thus ensuring that available inspection resources are used to optimum effect.

As such, the BCMS is part of a wide ranging set of local government reform measures being delivered in line with the  Action Programme for Effective Local Government(October 2012)and the Local Government Reform Act 2014.

My Department is not directly responsible for the development of the BCMS which has been undertaken by the LGMA, with external support provided by Providence CRM Ltd. and Annertech Ltd. I understand that the engagement of these supports was advertised on the Government e-tenders website and was in accordance with national public procurement policy guidelines as published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

The initial phase of development concentrated on facilitating the receipt and lodgement of commencement notices, statutory certificates and compliance documentation in line with the Regulations and went live on 1 March 2014. Development will continue in order to enhance capability to address, among other things, inspection and enforcement activities, risk analysis of construction projects and management reporting requirements. This work is on schedule to be delivered by September 2014. Development costs are anticipated to be of the order of €200,000. My Department has provided funding of €50,000 in 2 013 and has committed to providing an equivalent amount in the current year, with the remainder being recouped by the LGMA from individual local authorities.