James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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300. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if British construction certificates are recognised by the HSA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23685/17]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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301. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if Lantra accredited tickets granted in the UK are recognised by the HSA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23686/17]

Mary Mitchell O'Connor (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 300 and 301 together.

This Government is fully committed to promoting and delivering on safe and healthy workplaces.

The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) is the national statutory body under the aegis of my Department with responsibility for enforcing occupational safety and health law, promoting and encouraging accident prevention, and providing information and advice to all companies, organisations and individuals.

However, the responsibility for recognition of qualifications is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Education and Skills and in particular SOLAS, the national further education and training authority.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013 (S.I. 291 of 2013) requires anybody engaged in certain tasks to be in possession of a valid Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card for the activity. Only a SOLAS CSCS card meets this requirement of the Regulations.

The Construction Regulations allow for a person to get the CSCS card in a number of ways.

- A worker can successfully complete the training/assessment and attain a QQI certificate and get a CSCS card.

- Alternatively the Regulations allow for SOLAS to recognise other awards from other EU Member States as equivalent to the QQI award and to issue a CSCS card on this basis.

- An application can also be made to SOLAS for recognition of other jurisdiction training under the European Union (Recognition of Professional Qualifications) Regulations 2017 (S.I. 8 of 2017).

Anybody with a British construction certificate, LANTRA or any other qualification, will need to contact SOLAS directly in order to enquire about recognition of their award.