Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 39: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he plans to introduce a new scheme to aid people on low to middle incomes work towards becoming zero carbon households as part of any new zero carbon building regulations he introduces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18073/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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In line with the Programme for Government the energy efficiency requirements for dwellings specified under Part L "Conservation of Fuel and Energy" of the Building Regulations 2005 were improved by 40% in 2007 and will be further upgraded to yield a 60% improvement in energy efficiency in 2010, relative to 2005 standards. My Department is also working on the development of a strategy for achieving a carbon neutral building standard for dwellings from 2013, which will require further substantial amendments to the building regulations. The introduction of such a standard would require the preparation of a Regulatory Impact Assessment which would, inter alia, consider the impacts on those on lower incomes. Amendments to the Building Regulations generally apply to new dwellings and to existing dwellings only where major renovations are undertaken.

My Department is committed to the improvement of the insulation and general energy efficiency of local authority houses and to that end has developed a comprehensive national programme for the 'greening' of the social housing stock. This programme includes a range of energy efficiency initiatives for which some €50 million has been set aside in 2009.

The range of energy efficiency initiatives includes a programme of Towards Carbon Neutral demonstration projects, focussed on the construction of dwellings to achieve a minimum Building Energy Rating (BER) of A2, as well as a number of demonstration projects for the retrofitting of insulation and other energy efficiency measures in the existing stock of local authority housing to achieve minimum BER of B2. It is our intention that the experience gained from these projects will inform our approach to both new construction and remedial works schemes in the future to ensure a viable and energy efficient stock of local authority housing into the future. The 2009 House Condition Survey will contribute to the overall strategy for efficiently and effectively delivering on this aspiration.

Under the national programme, some €20 million will be provided in 2009 for an ambitious programme to achieve a BER rating of C1 in the case of dwellings due to be re-let during the year, as well as to address energy deficits in apartment complexes. In addition, €14 million has been set aside within the range of initiatives to complete the National Central Heating Programme, which will deliver the installation of central heating and associated thermal insulation improvements in some 2,100 units in 2009.

Aengus Ó Snodaigh (Dublin South Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 41: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of building control authorities which have brought enforcement orders or other action against development companies which have used pyrite as infill material in the building of houses or other developments; the number of these that were developed as part of local government contracts; the locations of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18071/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the individual local Building Control Authorities. Statistics on enforcement of the Regulations, furnished by local building control authorities to my Department for 2008 (the latest period for which figures are available) show that thirty four enforcement notices were served by building control authorities under the Building Control Act 1990 for non-compliance with the various Parts of the Building Regulations. In addition, nineteen summary prosecutions were taken by the authorities. The statistics do not provide details as to the reason for the enforcement notices or prosecutions, or the individual developments concerned. However, my Department understands that no enforcement notices or summary prosecutions were undertaken in relation to the use of pyrite.