John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 402: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the regulations governing the provision of structural guarantee bonds by local authorities which commission developers to construct houses that are made available for purchase under the affordable housing scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10043/09]

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Question 403: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if structural guarantee bonds have been provided by Waterford County Council in respect of houses that are being made available for purchase under the affordable housing scheme in a development (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10044/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 402 and 403 together.

All house building is governed by the Building Regulations, which apply standards for the construction of all new buildings, including affordable housing. Local authorities have been advised to take the necessary steps to monitor construction of affordable housing acquired under Part V agreements to ensure appropriate standards and that the requirements of the Building Regulations are being met. There are no specific regulations that require a local authority to have a developer obtain Structural Guarantee Bonds. However, it would be a matter for a local authority, in the interests of good practice and to assist with the sale of an affordable unit, to advise a developer to register the property with an appropriate structural guarantee scheme.

From enquiries made to Waterford County Council, the developer of the affordable units in question has been requested to obtain a structural guarantee bond, which the Council will, in turn, provide to the purchasers of the affordable units.