Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I have a few final comments. We are all concerned because we are heading into another significant increase in property construction, but we are doing so with a lack of skills. There is a significant skills shortage at present. The practical operation of the BCAR system is that if I am the owner of the property that is being developed, I am paying the assigned certifier and the auxiliary certifier. In theory, they are under my control. If I am about to pour concrete and have five lorry loads of concrete waiting, but the assigned certifier suddenly realises there is something wrong with the steel, there is immediate pressure because of the presence of those five lorries. That is the practical operation of it that concerns me. That is the reason an independent control is required in respect of building control regulations into the future. That is the right way to proceed. Mr. Fitzpatrick said he would welcome further building control inspections, but there is no point in paying for it twice. There is no point in the private sector paying for it and then in us having to pay the public sector to watch the private sector. If the public sector could do it entirely, I would favour that system. Equally, I am of the view that, in light of the framework agreements, we can get the expertise that is required to inspect buildings.

The local authorities are only inspecting 10% to 15% of buildings, if they are even doing that much.

They do not do so at all stages because buildings are picked at random. We need to put in place a more comprehensive system, with independent control and inspection.