Clare Daly (Dublin North, Socialist Party)
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118. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government in view of crumbling block work in houses in counties Donegal and Mayo, the remedy he intends to put in place in view of the fact that the National Standards Authority of Ireland was not required to carry out testing for sulphur in quarries. [18179/14]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Building Regulations 1997 set out the legal requirements for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings and are divided in 12 parts (classified as Parts A to M). Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) are published to accompany each of the parts and provide guidance indicating how the requirements of that part can be achieved in practice. Where works are carried out in accordance with the relevant technical guidance such works are considered to be, prima facie, in compliance with the relevant regulation(s).

Part A of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulationssets out the legal requirements in relation to Structure. The accompanying TGD A provides guidance on how compliance can be achieved and in the context of block work in houses reference is given to the appropriate masonry design and construction standards. The materials to be used e.g. concrete blocks, wall ties etc. are required to meet the specified minimum designations, strengths and other qualities, as set out in TGD A and the referenced standards.

Part D sets out the legal requirements for Materials and Workmanship. It requires that all works must be carried out using “proper materials...which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used”and in a workmanlike manner to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations.

Primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings.

Irish Standard (I.S) 20 Part 1, concrete building blocksand normal density blockswas the relevant standard for concrete blocks in place from 1987 until 2003 when it was replaced by a harmonised European product standard for concrete blocks - EN 771-3aggregate concrete masonry units (dense and lightweight aggregates). EN 771-3 was published by the NationalStandards Authority ofIreland(NSAI) on 17 March 2003 and came into effect on15October 2003. However, as is normal in such circumstances,the provisions in I.S. 20, Part 1 continued to apply for a period of time (known as the co-existence period) to allow for transition from national standards to harmonised European standards.

Harmonised European product standards provide the methods and the criteria for assessing the performance of construction products in relation to their essential characteristics, the harmonised standard includes the technical data necessary for the implementation of a system of assessment and verification of constancy of performance including third party oversight (determined as proportionate to the level of risk involved) which the manufacturer is required to comply with. NSAI has also produced additional guidance to some harmonised European product standardsin the form of National Annexes or Standard Recommendations (SRs) which set out appropriate minimum performance levels for specific intended uses of certain products in Ireland.

Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 of the European Parliament and of the Council laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EECrequires manufacturers to provide robust and reliable information in a consistent way for construction productswhich are coveredd by a harmonised standard or aEuropean Technical Assessment. From 1 July 2013, manufacturers of construction products which are covered by harmonised European product standards are required, when placing a product on the market, to make a Declaration of Performance for the product, and affix the CE mark.

I fully appreciate a and acknowledge the extremely difficult and distressing situations that householders have to deal with when faced with the consequences of poor workmanship or the use of defective materials. In general, building defects are matters for resolution between contracting parties, ie the homeowner, the builder, the supplier and/or their respective insurers and in the event that the parties cannot reach a settlement by negotiation the option of seeking redress in the Courts can be considered. I believe that the responsible parties should face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate actions to provide remedies for the affected homeowners.