Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

602. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that all aggregates supplied to local authority projects are sourced from planning-compliant sources. [25771/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

In purchasing goods and services, including aggregates, local authorities are required to comply fully with both national and European Union public procurement rules as set out in guidelines from the Office of Government Procurement within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In this context, the procurement of any goods and services is a matter for individual local authorities. In addition to public procurement considerations, it is incumbent upon all local authorities to take such steps as are reasonable to ensure that all goods and services they procure are sourced from economic operators compliant with all relevant requirements under law.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

603. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that all ready-mixed concrete supplied to local authorities is from plants currently certified to EN206 standard. [25772/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

604. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that all ready-mix concrete being used by contractors working on projects being financed either directly or indirectly by his Department is being sourced from ready-mix plants currently certified to the EN206 standard. [25773/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 603 and 604 together.

In purchasing goods and services, including ready-mix concrete, local authorities and other bodies under the aegis of my Department are required to comply fully with both national and European Union public procurement rules as set out in guidelines from the Office of Government Procurement within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In this context, the procurement of any goods and services is a matter for the individual contracting authorities.

EN 206-1 Concrete – Part 1: Specification, performance, production is a voluntary European Standard which forms part of a wider group of related construction standards. In Ireland, EN 206-1 contains a national annex which provides guidance applicable to the manufacture of ready-mix concrete for use in the State.

Under EN 206-1, a concrete manufacturer is required to operate a defined conformity control procedure; certification by a third party is not mandatory. Independent identity tests by a specifier’s representative are still provided for, in particular, where third party certification is not in operation. My Department understands that the National Standards Authority of Ireland provides a third party certification service to EN 206-1 and that approximately 161 concrete batching facilities have been certified to this standard in the State.

Ultimately, it is a matter for each individual contracting authority to specify their particular requirements for ready-mix concrete in their tender documents and to take such steps as are appropriate to ensure that those requirements are met.

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

605. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that all aggregate products currently being supplied to local authorities are sourced from an appropriate CE (Conformité Européenne) mark accredited supplier. [25774/15]

Clare Daly (Dublin North, United Left)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

606. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he is satisfied that all aggregate products being used by contractors working on projects being financed either directly or indirectly by his Department are being sourced from a CE (Conformité Européenne) mark accredited supplier. [25775/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 605 and 606 together.

In purchasing goods and services, including aggregates, local authorities and other bodies under the aegis of my Department are required to comply fully with both national and European Union public procurement rules as set out in guidelines from the Office of Government Procurement within the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In this context, the procurement of any goods and services is a matter for the individual contracting authorities.

Under (known as the Construction Products Regulation), manufacturers are required to provide robust and reliable information in a consistent way for construction products which are covered by harmonised European standards or European Technical Assessments. In broad terms, since 1 July 2013, manufacturers are required, when placing a construction product on the market, to make a Declaration of Performance and affix the CE mark to each product being placed on the market.

For many construction products, the application of the CE mark will require the involvement of a third party (known as a ‘notified body’) to undertake certain tasks as specified in the harmonised European standard. These tasks may include activities such as initial type-testing of products, inspection of factory production control and surveillance of factory production control. In addition, the National Standards Authority of Ireland has also produced additional guidance to some harmonised European standards in the form of National Annexes or Standard Recommendations which set out appropriate minimum performance levels for specific intended uses of certain products in Ireland.

As matters currently stand, there are a number of harmonised European standards, and accompanying Standard Recommendations, in place in respect of aggregates as well as for precast concrete products and masonry products which may require aggregates for their manufacture. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual contracting authority to specify their particular requirements for aggregates in their tender documents and to take such steps as are necessary to ensure that the aggregates provided meet their specifications and are suitable for the purpose for which they are intended.