Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 292: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if his attention has been drawn to the fact that inadequate pipework installations routinely happened in the past and are continuing to happen in the absence of any regulations regarding same; if he will review the situation with a view to setting up an enforceable standard within a short period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4174/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I refer to the reply by the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources to Questions Nos. 295 and 301 on today's Order Paper which deals with grant assistance for heating control systems available through Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI).

Part L – Conservation of Fuel and Energy – of the Building Regulations addresses energy efficiency in dwellings. The current requirement in this regard includes the provision and commissioning of energy efficient space and water heating systems with efficient heat sources and effective controls. This requirement applies to space heating and hot water systems in new dwellings and to the replacement of such systems in existing dwellings undergoing material alterations. Technical Guidance Document L further addresses the construction quality and commissioning of services. A further publication Heating and Domestic Hot Water Systems for dwellings – Achieving compliance with Part L 2008, produced jointly by my Department and SEI, covers conventional means of providing space heating and domestic hot water for dwellings in Ireland.

Part D of the Building Regulations deals with Materials and Workmanship. It stipulates that all works are to be carried out with proper materials and in a workmanlike manner. It defines proper materials as those materials which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used. This includes materials which:-

· bear a CE Marking in accordance with the EU Construction Products Directive; or

· comply with an appropriate harmonised standard, a European Technical approval or a national technical specification; or

· comply with an appropriate Irish Standard or Irish Agreement Board Certificate or with an alternative national technical specification of another State which provides an equivalent level of safety and suitability.

Building Regulations were first introduced in 1992 and have been, and continue to be, subject to review and improvement in the light of technical progress and developments generally within the construction industry. The Building Regulations requirement applying today would not, of course, have been in force at the time of construction of a considerable proportion of the current national housing stock.

I understand that the National Standards Authority of Ireland, which is under the remit of the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, set up an Expert Group to examine the area of heating and plumbing in December 2006. On foot of this, work has advanced on a Standard Recommendation for Heating and Plumbing, 'SR50, Code of Practice for Domestic Plumbing and Heating - Design, Implementation, Commissioning & Maintenance'. A public consultation on this Code of Practice is due to take place shortly. The Code of Practice will cover all types of domestic heating and hot and cold water services. It is also expected that a registration/certification system will be set up for installers of heating and plumbing systems.

Paul Gogarty (Dublin Mid West, Green Party)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if an analysis has been carried out on the reason so many pipes leading into homes froze or cracked during the recent cold spell; if statistics exist regarding the percentage of damaged pipes that froze due to inadequate insulation, even though regulations provide for mandatory insulation of such pipework; if there are plans to provide funding to local authorities for retrofitting such pipes with insulation in view of the fact that it might save money in areas where large amounts of water were lost as a result of related issues; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4175/10]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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Standard construction contracts provide for the laying of local authority water mains at depths that provide for sufficient natural insulation cover. However, the movement of earth that can arise following a thaw from a prolonged cold weather spell can, and did, lead to burst mains.

There is a need to sustain our efforts in the provision of water services infrastructure and, in particular, the replacement and rehabilitation of older or damaged mains. A greater focus on such works will be a key priority of the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, which I expect to publish early this year.

As to insulation standards for service pipes and other cold water services to homes, as stated in reply to Question Number 19 of 21 January 2010, my Department's policy guidance in relation to Taking in Charge of Residential Estates requires planning authorities to adopt construction standards for residential developments that are acceptable to the planning authority for taking in charge and long-term maintenance and states that it should be a condition of planning permission that such standards be adhered to.

The guidance also states that the construction standards adopted by planning authorities should at a minimum comply with those set out in my Department's Recommendations for Site Development Works for Housing Areas, which recommend standards for the diameter of pipes and the amount of cover, and make other relevant recommendations including a recommendation that watermain pipe size and layout should be designed in consultation with the local authority.

Technical Guidance Document G of the Building Regulations (Hygiene) provides that, in regard to bathrooms and kitchens in dwellings, the cisterns, service pipe and fittings and any associated cold water pipes should be adequately protected against damage by frost.

My Department's Taking in Charge Guidance also states that it is necessary for the planning authority to satisfy itself, when the developer of a residential estate has ceased construction or notified the planning authority that construction is complete, or after the planning permission has expired, that the development is properly completed in line with the planning permission and, where it is not properly completed, to take early and effective enforcement action.

Where an estate has yet to be taken in charge, the repair of a burst water main is a matter for the developer.

There are no statistics in relation to the number of water pipes that burst due to lack of insulation. I have no plans to provide funding for the retrofitting of such insulation.