Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein)
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516. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his plans for the creation of a register of construction employees' qualifications. [48846/14]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Owners and builders have a duty of care to engage competent persons to undertake building works on their behalf and are now required, in line with amended building control regulations introduced earlier this year, to sign a statutory undertaking confirming their intentions in this regard prior to commencing works. In order to facilitate consumers in appointing competent persons, a register of builders, contractors and specialist subcontractors and tradespersons known as the Construction Industry Register Ireland or CIRI was established on a voluntary basis earlier this year. Participation on the register is open to construction entities generally, including small and medium sized firms (who represent the majority of construction firms in Ireland) and sole traders. The register can be accessed online at .

The Government’s Construction 2020strategy includes a commitment to placing the register on a statutory footing in 2015. My Department is currently preparing legislative proposals in keeping with this commitment and it is intended that the General Scheme of a Bill will be brought to Government for consideration early in 2015.