Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 33: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the national building energy rating examinations have commenced as expected from June 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25063/09]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 45: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the number of building energy rating certificates issued to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25072/09]

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 52: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will confirm that failure to obtain a building energy rating certificate and failure to produce a BER certificate to prospective purchasers or renters are each breaches of BER regulations; the number of prosecutions which have been initiated by building control authorities in respect of property owners who were in contravention of BER regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25062/09]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 75: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if building energy rating regulations apply in the social housing sector; if so, if a minimum BER standard has been set for social housing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25067/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 45, 52 and 75 together.

The European Communities (Energy Performance of Buildings) Regulations 2006 – 2008 requires that any person offering a building for sale or letting, or any agent acting on behalf of a person in relation to such an offering, must produce a copy of the relevant Building Energy Rating (BER) certificate to any person who expresses an interest in availing of the sale or letting. Failure to comply with this statutory requirement constitutes an offence, which may, on successful prosecution, result in a fine not exceeding €5,000.

Responsibility for enforcement of the Regulations rests with the 37 local Building Control Authorities. I am not aware of any prosecutions having been initiated to date in respect of non-compliance with BER requirements

Arrangements for the National BER Assessors examination are now fully in place. I understand from SEI that the first examinations will take place in the first week of July 2009.

BER requirements apply within the social housing sector. The Regulations do not however set any minimum energy rating requirement that must be achieved for social housing or for any category of buildings.

Some 50,000 BER certificates have been issued to date in respect of dwellings; the corresponding number of BER certificates in respect of buildings other than dwellings is almost 1,000.