Cathal Crowe (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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75. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will accredit architectural technologists as assigned certifiers as per the Building Control Amendment Regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13623/21]

Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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80. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the progress on the process to implement the architectural technologists register on a statutory footing as agreed in principle in 2018 (details supplied). [13646/21]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 80 together.

In general, the regulation of professions is in the first instance a matter for industry representatives working in consultation with relevant industry stakeholders. My Department has been engaging with the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists (CIAT) in relation to the registration of Architectural Technologists. In this regard, CIAT has identified that its preferred route is to set up a stand-alone register for Architectural Technologists. As such, it is now a matter for CIAT to set up a register on an administrative basis in keeping with registers already in place for other professional groupings under the Building Control Act 2007 and in consultation with the relevant industry stakeholders. CIAT have been advised that the register should be in place for a sufficient period of time to demonstrate that it operates effectively in accordance with the provisions of the act.

Following this process, my Department will review the register and subject to this review, will then consider bringing forward legislative proposals to place it on a statutory basis. CIAT have been advised of the process required to publish primary legislation.

It is also worth noting that, depending on their personal background and experience, it may be open to persons who are Architectural Technologists, and who possess the requisite experience and competence in the design of buildings, to seek inclusion on either of the statutory registers in respect of Architects or Building Surveyors. A number of Architectural Technologists have already succeeded in gaining inclusion on the statutory registers to date and are thus in a position to act as Design Certifiers and Assigned Certifiers.