Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In February, the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government confirmed that the number of commencements had decreased since the introduction of the building control (amendment) regulations. It indicated that more than 5,000 construction projects commenced since the new regulations took effect on 1 March 2014, of which more than 1,100 were new build single dwellings. In comparison, the total number of commencement notices lodged for 2013, an historic low point for activity, was 7,456, including 3,000 for one-off houses. That underlines my point that the construction of one-off housing and extensions declined by up to 70%. Rather than argue the figures, I acknowledge the commitment made by the Minister of State in regard to the review and ask that the concerns expressed by those in the construction sector and engineering professionals are addressed by amending the regulations.

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