Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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495. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if assistance is available for persons resident in a housing estate (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20418/17]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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In general, building defects are matters for resolution between the contracting parties involved: the homeowner, the builder, the developer and/or their respective insurers, structural guarantee or warranty scheme. In this regard, it is incumbent on the parties responsible for poor workmanship and/or the supply of defective materials to face up to their responsibilities and take appropriate action to provide remedies for the affected homeowners.

Under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014, primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings. Enforcement of the Building Regulations is a matter for the 31 local building control authorities who have extensive powers of inspection and investigation. Neither I nor my Department has any role in relation to enforcement matters and it is important to clarify that the Department has no statutory role in resolving defects in privately owned buildings, including dwelling houses, nor does it have a budget for such matters.

However, in the interests of supporting owners and residents living in developments where concerns regarding non-compliance with fire safety requirements arise, a review was undertaken by an independent fire safety expert to develop a framework for general application in such situations. The independent fire safety expert has now completed this task and a report on the matter has been received in my Department. The report remains under consideration pending clarification on a number of issues at which point it is intended that the arrangements necessary for publication will be made.