Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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Question 342: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if funding has or will be set aside to assist towns designated under the national spatial strategy as hub towns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19595/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The 2002 National Spatial Strategy (NSS) aims to achieve a better balance of social, economic and physical development across Ireland, supported by more effective planning, and has designated nine gateways and nine hubs which have the capacity to grow sustainably and to act as drivers of growth for their hinterlands and wider regions. Investment priorities identified under the National Development Plan 2007-2013 and Transport 21 have been aligned with the NSS. As a result, the Gateways and Hubs are benefiting substantially from significant infrastructure and enabling investment.

Implementation of the NSS is also facilitated by the 2004 Regional Planning Guidelines (RPGs), which are currently under review for adoption in 2010. City and County Councils have regard to the NSS and regional priorities in their development plan and local area planning processes.

My Department has undertaken extensive research into the development issues and challenges of the nine Hub towns. This work culminated in the publication in June 2007 of the report, NSS Hubs – Development Issues and Challenges, which is available on the Department's website – www.environ.ie. The study provides a detailed description of the current status of the hubs, identifies the many development issues and challenges associated with the hubs and makes recommendations to support and advance future hub growth and development. Key among the recommendations is the need for the establishment of implementation and co-ordination arrangements at the hub level and this is being encouraged and facilitated by my Department.

The 2008 Framework for Sustainable Economic Renewal: Building Ireland's Smart Economy indicated that an analysis of NSS implementation and an assessment of the extent to which sectoral programmes are aligned with the NSS was to be undertaken; this work is currently underway in my Department.

Liz McManus (Wicklow, Labour)
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Question 343: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the level of compliance for building energy ratings for commercial buildings; the requirements for BER certificates on non-dwellings; his views on the requirements for new and existing commercial buildings as set out in the legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20008/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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The EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, which was transposed into Irish law by the European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 - 2008, introduced a requirement for a Building Energy Rating (BER) system.

The Regulations require a person offering a building for sale or letting to produce a copy of the BER certificate and advisory report in relation to the building to any person who expresses an interest in availing of the sale or letting. The BER certificate and advisory report serve to enable prospective purchasers or tenants to take the energy performance of a building into account when making decisions in relation to sales or lettings and to compare in a standard format the energy performance of a range of buildings available to them. In this way it is intended that the BER system will promote greater awareness of energy efficiency in the property market and encourage building owners to take cost effective steps to improve the energy rating, and hence the overall energy performance, of such buildings.

In the case of new buildings other than dwellings, the BER system was introduced with effect from 1 July 2008, subject to certain planning-related transitional arrangements, which remain in force until 30 June 2010. The BER system was extended to existing buildings offered for sale or rent, with effect from 1 January 2009 unless the building is specifically exempted under article 3 of the Regulations.

To date this year 668 BER certificates have been issued in respect of buildings other than dwellings; it is not possible to determine the level of compliance indicated by this figure. However, it is worth noting that the Regulations impose obligations on agents, including law agents, who assist a person in connection with the sale or letting of a building, to ensure compliance with the mandatory BER requirements. Given that law agents are likely to be involved in the majority of transactions involving buildings other than dwellings, a high degree of compliance is anticipated in this category of buildings.