Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his view on the number of architects qualifying under the technical assessment pilot scheme. [47493/08]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I assume the question refers to the pilot project by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) which was carried out in advance of the commencement of statutory technical assessment of certain persons for registration under the Building Control Act 2007.

Section 21 of the Act provides for the establishment of a Technical Assessment Board (TAB) which will have a majority of lay members and an independent Chairperson. The Board will consider applications for registration from persons who have been performing duties commensurate with those of an architect for a period of ten years or more in the State. It will be open to those who were unsuccessful under the RIAI pilot project to re-apply for assessment to the statutory TAB, when established. I intend to make my appointments to the TAB before the end of the year. Section 22 sets out the procedure for TAB in carrying out this assessment.