Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Do the new building regulations effectively mean we are moving to another form of self-certification process? The self-certification system in operation is not statutory or mandatory. This type of light-touch regulation is the reason we have problems at Priory Hall and on other similar estates. What inspections will be carried out under the new building control regulations? While I welcome the decision to make them mandatory, what will be the nature of the inspections? Will a random sample of works be inspected?

I do not believe the figure for inspection rates - 12% to 15% - is correct. From my time in Dublin City Council, I believe the inspection rate was closer to 5%. I will leave that issue to one side as it is in the past, although we must learn from past mistakes. In Northern Ireland, where all sites are inspected, cases such as Priory Hall or those involving the many other problems we are experiencing do not arise. Will we adopt a system similar to that in place in the North or will we retain the self-certification model? If we choose the latter, is there a danger we will repeat the mistakes of the past if there is another boom in ten or 15 years?