Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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166. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has considered the financial burden placed on builders of one-off properties, such as those in rural areas building a family home, by the requirement under the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2013 to contract an assigned certifier; his plans to introduce measures to keep such costs to a minimum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3434/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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An extensive public consultation process was undertaken in 2012 to inform the development of the revised building control regulations which will come into effect on 1 March 2014. Comprehensive consultation documents were published including Strengthening the Building Control System - A Document to inform public consultation on Draft Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2012 which sets out the context in which the reforms – as later signed into law in the form of S.I. No. 9 of 2014 - will operate and the regulatory impact of these for building owners and industry stakeholders. This document remains available on my Department’s website. The costs of construction activity and related professional services are determined by market forces and I am precluded by trade and competition law from introducing any measures which would interfere with the normal functioning of the market in that regard.