Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 145: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the nature of the regionalised or shared services model for the administration of building control function he envisages; when he expects this to be put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28300/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Local Government Efficiency Review Group (July 2010) recommended that a single building inspectorate service could be established on a regional basis to streamline the approach to the inspection of property.

In July 2011, I announced a number of measures to be advanced by my Department and local authorities with a view to improving compliance with, and oversight of, the requirements of the Building Regulations. In broad terms the measures will involve:-

(a) the introduction of mandatory certificates of compliance confirming that the statutory requirements of the Building Regulations have been met;

(b) the submission of drawings demonstrating how the building has been designed and built to comply with all parts of the Building Regulations;

(c) more efficient pooling of building control staff and resources across the local authority sector to ensure more effective oversight of building activity;

(d) standardised approaches and common protocols to ensure nationwide consistency in the administration of building control functions;

(e) better support and further development of the building control function nationwide.

Mandatory certification and submission of drawings as outlined at (a) and (b) above are provided for in the proposed Building Control (Amendment) Regulations which have recently been the subject of public consultation. My Department is currently reviewing the submissions received as part of this consultation and I expect to make the final set of regulations in the coming months.

The remaining measures relating to the more efficient pooling of building control staff and improved support of the building control function are administrative arrangements which will be achieved in the context of wider moves towards regionalisation and shared services across the local authority sector. The imperative will be to ensure more effective and meaningful oversight and inspection of building activity and to facilitate the move to a more risk-based approach by local authorities.

The implementation the proposed measures will be progressed by local authorities in consultation with the Department in the context of the wider programme of achieving greater efficiencies in the local government system.