Pat Casey (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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Deputy Cowen has probably covered most of the issues relating to the Bill and the presentation this morning but I will comment on some matters mentioned. Nowhere in the Bill do we refer to new buildings but new buildings have been mentioned by both people in submissions. This refers to existing and vacant buildings. With regard to the planning process, the local authority has an opportunity to ensure through the one-stop process that it can deal with planning, exempted planning, fire certification and disability certification. At no point in this Bill do we want to compromise standards. That is not the intention or purpose. Reference has been made to SI 9 of 2014. We would still conform to fire and disability certification but we are saying that a works permit would have to be submitted under the building control regulation rather than fire, disability or planning exemption certification. We are replacing it with one certificate but we are not reducing what the statutory instrument requires with respect to fire or disability certification.

It has been indicated in a number of meetings now that we are talking about renovation of existing buildings. Building control regulations relate to new buildings and one cannot have exact guidance documents relating to refurbishment, as one can with respect to new buildings. Corridor widths would be different and it would be very difficult to convert many existing buildings to new building standards. We have identified these as weaknesses and it is why we clearly said the technical guidance documents are needed to ensure the likes of corridor widths are maintained, as well as ventilation and fire certificates. We are not dealing with new builds but existing buildings. The Bill seeks the technical guidance documents to ensure safety.

The Bill also brings independent inspection and it is one of the key aspects. Most people agree we need to move away from what is there at the moment, where the builder or developer is paying the assigned certifier to sign off on buildings. We are singing from the one hymn sheet in that this element of building control must be done by independent assessment rather than somebody paying the piper. This Bill gives the opportunity to introduce this independent inspection. It is a welcome move in the right direction.