Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)

In July 2011, I announced a number of measures to be advanced by the Department and the local authorities with a view to improving compliance with, and oversight of, the requirements of the building regulations. In broad terms the measures will involve the introduction of mandatory certificates of compliance by builders and designers of buildings that will confirm that the statutory requirements of the building regulations have been met and that there has been a lodgement of drawings at both commencement and completion of construction, demonstrating how the building has been designed and built to comply with all parts of the building regulations. We will have more efficient pooling of building control staff across the local authorities sector to ensure that we have more effective oversight. We will have a standardised approach and common protocols to ensure nationwide consistency in the administration of building control functions and better support and further development of the building control function nationwide.

Draft building control (amendment) regulations providing for mandatory certification and the lodgement of drawings were recently released for public consultation, which concluded on 24 May 2012. Some 500 submissions have been received and are currently being reviewed by my Department with a view to having a final set of regulations providing for mandatory certification and the lodgement of drawings, which I will sign into law in the coming months. The sooner I can do so the better.

I am determined, now that the public consultation process is out of the way, to follow through with the planned reforms which I believe will be capable of delivering the level of compliance with building regulations, and the standard of quality buildings, that members of the public so rightly expect and deserve. I want to thank the people who made submissions. Some people, including people in the Deputy's constituency, have had unfortunate experience of the lack of building controls during the recent period. In keeping with the standard procedures in regard to these matters, I have asked the Department to continue to engage closely with key stakeholders to ensure that the new regulations, when finalised, are clearly understood and can work well on a practical level for the benefit of the citizens.

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