Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
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Question 131: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to modernise the building regulations to provide for the mandatory use of condensing boilers in new dwellings as is the case in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30412/05]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The basic regulations governing the energy efficiency of boilers in Ireland are the European Communities (Efficiency Requirements for New Hot Water Boilers Fired with Liquid or Gaseous Fuels) Regulations 1994 which require that domestic boilers installed on or after 1 August 1994 meet minimum efficiency requirements laid down by EU Council Directive 92/42/EC of 21 May 1992.

Encouraging the voluntary installation of condensing boilers is one of the issues being actively considered in the current review of part L, conservation of fuel and energy, of the building regulations and the related technical guidance document, TGD, L. This review is necessary as part of the implementation of EU Directive 2002/91/EC of 16 December 2002 on the energy performance of buildings. I plan to publish the amended part L TGD regime early in 2006. I intend that the question of mandating the installation of condensing boilers in new buildings will be considered in the next comprehensive review of part L TGD L due by 2008.