Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 263: To ask the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will introduce a course to ensure that there are sufficient assessors to implement the EU-DEAP regulations under the Building Control Act 2007 particularly relating to existing dwellings and in view of the implementation date of 1 January 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15785/08]

Eamon Ryan (Dublin South, Green Party)
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The Building Energy Rating (BER) scheme was established under the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006, (S.I. No. 666 of 2006). Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) has been designated as the Issuing Authority with responsibility for the registration of BER Assessors, logging of BER assessments and ongoing management of the BER scheme.

As part of this process SEI issued a training specification in October 2006, which set out the requirements for training courses dealing with the rating of new dwellings. To date, 21 FETAC/HETAC registered training providers around the country have held training courses on BER for new dwellings. Currently, there are 520 registered BER assessors, with a further 1,127 qualified assessors for BER of new dwellings yet to register.

SEI is currently in discussions with FETAC with regard to extending the FETAC Standard for BER of new dwellings to include existing dwellings. Similar discussions have also commenced with HETAC trainers. It is expected that training courses for BER of existing dwellings will be available from September 2008. A survey of registered assessors has given a positive indication that the majority of registered assessors will be applying to extend their registration to cover both new and existing dwellings.