Brian Stanley (Laois-Offaly, Sinn Fein)

This is a huge emerging problem across the State, with buildings and developments clearly not in compliance with building control standards. With regard to compliance, it is accepted that developers, their agents and architects are responsible for compliance. They must sign off on, and stand over, compliance with building control standards. The problem arises where it is clear that the building control standards have not been met. Where the developers are still in business, I find they are washing their hands of the problem. Receivers are also washing their hands of the problem. People are living in apartments that will probably have to be knocked down. I have seen some of these apartments. It is clear that self-regulation has not worked. Most people are agreed on that. Local authorities were inspecting between 10% and 15% of developments as they were being built during the years of madness.

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