Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent)
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538. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if there are any plans for a national policy that is directed to local authorities (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30799/22]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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Building Regulations provide for the health and safety of people in and around buildings.  Part L of the Building Regulations provide for the Conservation of Fuel and Energy. Part J of the Building Regulations provide for Heat producing Appliances.   All new dwellings must comply with all parts of the building regulations.  

Part J of the Building Regulations sets out the legal requirements in relation to the provision of chimneys and flues in dwelling houses, while Technical Guidance Document J - Heat producing appliances (TGD J), provides the necessary technical guidance indicating how the requirements of Part J can be achieved in practice.

A "heat producing appliance" means a fixed appliance (including a cooker and an open fire) which is designed to burn solid fuel, oil, bio-fuel or gas and includes an incinerator.

When a heat producing appliance is being installed, it must have adequate provision for the discharge of the products of combustion to the outside air, usually achieved by the installation of a chimney or flue. The provisions for the discharge of the products of combustion to the outside air via chimneys or flues and the associated ventilation requirements for a range of heat producing appliances, and fuel types, are given in Sections 1, 2, 3 & 4 of TGD J.

When no heat producing appliance is being installed in the dwelling house, there is no mandatory requirement to construct a chimney or flue, however, the provision of a chimney in a dwelling house, where none is required, is not precluded by the Building Regulations.

There are no proposals to amend Part J to obligate building owners to install chimneys or flues in new houses.

Part L sets the energy and carbon performance for dwellings and is performance based. It is a matter for the specifier/designer to specify the heating system to achieve compliance with Part L.

 The Nearly Zero Energy Buildings requirements of the building regulations make it more attractive for builders and homeowners to further incorporate renewable technologies and move away from traditional fossil fuels. The Central Statistics Office analysis of Building Energy Rating data demonstrates this shift away from fossil fuels; oil boilers are no longer installed in new dwellings, and heat pumps make up 80% of heating systems in new dwellings with this percentage growing steadily each year. All new dwellings typically have an A rated Building Energy Rating.

The implementation of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings through our building regulations will ensure that whilst we achieve more energy efficient buildings we also build warmer, more comfortable, healthy, sustainable and durable buildings suitable for the Irish Climate both today and into the future.  This will contribute Ireland's ambition to provide for a reduction in emissions of 51% by 2030.