Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Does the Minister accept that those buying houses this week and who have bought them are not aware that from 4 January 2006 they will, if selling those houses, be required under European law to produce a certificate on their energy efficiency? Does he accept that since the directive will apply to houses that are to be purchased or let after 4 January next year, houses currently under construction will come under the remit of the directive?

The Minister is delaying the introduction of the directive. The derogation to which he referred, namely the extension of the implementation period to 2009, only applies to some technical aspects of the directive such as the appointment of inspectors. However, the main thrust of the directive will require energy labelling of every building sold, let or built after 4 January 2006. Does the Minister not agree that proposals on this matter are urgently required?

People looking at showhouses this week are not being told that if they buy them, they will have to produce certificates on their energy efficiency when they resell them. If a house is built with a cavity block or built in some other energy-inefficient manner, its owner will have a problem and will be at a loss. Many who have bought houses recently will be saddled with a loss on the resale of their houses. Will the Minister come clean to those buying homes or who own homes and inform them that they face a major shock next January? Is it not the case that the slow pace at which he is introducing the regulations and giving effect to the directive is not helping anybody?

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