Victor Boyhan (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank all the witnesses for coming today. I will focus on three of the submissions, given the time constraint. I understand the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office is an independent unit within Dublin City Council funded by the 31 local authorities. Will its representatives touch very briefly on that structure, independence and how they operate there? There is an interesting point in the office's submission to the committee:

Building Control Authorities in Ireland have consistently noted that Part D compliance challenges is the biggest impediment to compliance [with] the requirements of the Building Regulations [and a] serious lack of trained/competent builders, trades people in construction, and [a] lack of CPD for trained builders.

I am concerned about that. The witnesses have identified issues but I would like to hear about solutions and the way they might address that matter. Those are the two questions to the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office.

The OPW representatives touched on carbon capture and sustainable forestry. This is a recurring theme in the Irish Green Building Council's submission today. Its representatives talked about the need for support streamlining of new forestry licences and procedures. I am on the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine. Forestry is part of that committee's remit and we have looked at this in great detail. The OPW has come in and said more or less the same thing, which is a concern we all know about. Will the OPW witnesses talk to us about their engagement with Coillte and how that has gone? That is important.

I will turn briefly to the Irish Green Building Council. We know its role is to advocate and educate in addition to developing tools to facilitate the transition to a sustainable built environment. Its submission mentioned enabling innovation and reducing carbon emissions, etc. The issue I want to raise relates to the fact that in its submission, it identifies that new local forestry and agriculture related industries and the supply of the construction sector must be supported. More specifically, the current system for licensing of forestry planting and felling must be reformed to ensure a supply of timber. Again, it is that recurring theme of timber. Is the council referring to the all-inclusive licensing that does all the various stages? Is that part of the solution it is talking about? The council also states that construction and demolition account for 48% of all waste produced in Ireland, which is alarming. Its submission further states, "Ireland’s application of the Waste Framework Directive makes reuse of perfectly good materials difficult for all but the largest sites and contractors, so reform is urgent." Will the council elaborate on what it envisages regarding that?

These are just some points and questions. I ask the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office to kick off in response to some of the questions I have asked.