Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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679. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the safeguards in place to protect homeowners from substandard building work when they are renovating or extending their own private homes; his plans to bolster protections for homeowners in this regard; the redress that is available to homeowners in the event of substandard work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36035/15]

Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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Homeowners who intend upgrading or extending their home have a statutory obligation to ensure that the works are designed and constructed in accordance with the relevant requirements of the second schedule to the Building Regulations. My Department has recently published a helpful guidance note which can be accessed by clicking on the following weblink:.

Any consumer engaging a builder to undertake building works on their behalf should as a minimum satisfy themselves that the builder is competent to undertake the works concerned (on the basis of having satisfactorily undertaken similar works for others); is tax compliant; is compliant with relevant requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act; and is prepared to sign a contract which may be enforced by civil means should that be necessary. Where problems arise, redress is a matter between the parties concerned i.e. the homeowner, the builder and their insurers, if any, subject to the terms of any contract in place.

The Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI) has been established as a voluntary register of builders, contractors and specialist trade persons by the Construction Industry Federation (CIF). I understand that over 750 construction entities are currently included on the register which is available online at . Under the Construction 2020strategy, the Government has signalled its commitment to placing the register on a statutory footing. This is seen as an essential consumer protection measure giving consumers who engage a registered builder the assurance that they are dealing with a competent and compliant operator. Legislative proposals in this regard are currently being prepared by my Department with a view to their being presented to Government for consideration in the near future.