Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 279: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources the number of persons qualified as building energy rate assessors on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2824/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has been designated as issuing authority under Statutory Instrument No. 666 of 2006, European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006.

In respect of registration of Building Energy Rating (BER) assessors, among the responsibilities for the issuing authority are:

In considering an application for registration as a BER assessor, the issuing authority must be satisfied that the applicant has successfully completed a validated training course provided by an accredited BER training provider in relation to BER assessment for the relevant designated class or classes of buildings.

The issuing authority shall establish, operate and maintain a register of BER assessors registered by the issuing authority.

Each register established shall be a public record, and shall be kept under the management of the issuing authority.

To this end SEI has published a training specification that can be delivered by training institutions and bodies registered by Higher Education and Training Awards Council, (HETAC)/Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and operating within the National Framework of Qualifications for higher and further education. SEI does not itself directly administer or deliver the training courses but is responsible for the registration of suitably trained and certified assessors. These assessors are maintained on a public register by SEI (www.sei.ie/ber). The number of persons registering as BER Assessors by county to date, is set out in the following table.

In respect of persons certifying, either through HETAC or FETAC institutions/bodies, it remains at their discretion whether they choose to register immediately and incur the registration fee. SEI advises that there is a further tranche of approximately 800 persons who have attended training courses run in recent months under the aegis of FETAC and who are qualified but are presently awaiting certification of their qualification by FETAC. SEI anticipates that many of these persons will apply for registration next month. SEI does not as yet have a county breakdown of these qualified persons.