Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I wish to follow up and expand on Deputy Barry's point on the technical instruments that we believe is required. At no stage does this Bill indicate a shortening or weakening of the building standards that are there now. We are, however, looking at vacant properties that exist throughout Ireland at present. Some of them that are currently being used are probably not fit for purpose. This Bill clearly states that when we are dealing with older buildings, we can apply the same technical documents that apply to new builds. They currently do not exist. We have given a number of examples of the areas in which these technical documents are required for older buildings so they ensure they comply with fire standards. We believe there is a very significant piece of work for the Department to do in this regard to draft these technical documents to deal with the areas that have been listed in Schedule 1 to ensure they comply with safety standards. Currently no technical documents exist for the renovations of existing old and listed buildings. They just do not exist. If we can get this aspect working properly and deliver this legislation, it might encourage those people out there who have already converted their buildings, which none of us knows about but we know there is a lot of them, to come in to this process to regularise it because the guidance documents will be there. The current building regulations stand until the technical guidance documents are developed by the Department for the retrofitting of older buildings where new standards cannot apply because we are dealing with older structures.