Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 285: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will establish a task force led by himself, the Fingal City Manager and the Dublin City Manager to investigate all aspects of the pyrite infill situation in the construction industry and the failure of building regulations during the Celtic tiger years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47325/08]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will order a full traceability audit of all materials taken from a quarry (details supplied) in Dublin 15 which was reportedly the source of 2 million tonnes of defective infill material used in housing construction since 2000-01. [47326/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 285 and 286 together.

The position on this matter was most recently set out in reply to the Dáil Adjournment item on 5 June 2008 and in reply to Question Nos. 347, 348 and 349 of 9 July 2008. The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) has published a new amended Standard Recommendation on the use of aggregates as infill for civil engineering and road construction work. The new Standard Recommendation came into effect on 7 December 2007 and it is intended to address the quality standards of new homes and buildings insofar as problems relating to pyrite are concerned. My Department has now incorporated this NSAI Standard Recommendation into the relevant Technical Guidance Document (TGD-C) associated with the Building Regulations. A copy of the relevant amendment to TGD-C is available on my Department's Website at www.environ.ie. My Department has also notified Local Authorities, the Construction Industry Federation, the Irish Home Builders' Association and other key stakeholders of the provisions of the amended TGD-C. In addition, I am aware that HomeBond has included the amended NSAI Standard Recommendation in their published 6th edition of the House Building Manual.

I am satisfied that the measures outlined represent an appropriate response to the issues and I have no proposals to establish a Task Force or to order a traceability audit of materials in relation to this matter. I remain of the view that the resolution of problems arising between building owners and builders are matters between the parties concerned, namely, the building owner, the relevant developer, and the builder's insurers. Where the construction of a building is the subject of a contract between the client and the builder, enforcement is a civil matter.