Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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107. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the changes that are being made to the Construction Industry Register Ireland, CIRI, as some construction persons are saying they have been told this is voluntary and then told they must have it; if clarification can be given; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15730/23]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 establishes Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI), a statutory register for providers of building works.

In January this year the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) was appointed as the statutory registration body for the Construction Industry Register Ireland.

The main objective of the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 is to develop and promote a culture of competence, good practice and compliance with the Building Regulations in the construction sector which will benefit consumers and the general public.

The requirement to register will apply to builders of both residential and non-residential buildings that are subject to the Building Regulations. Employees of such building firms will not be required to apply but sole traders will. Eligibility for registration can be achieved through qualifications, experience or a combination of both. The criteria required for registration will be clear and transparent and will be set out in regulations.

The construction industry will require time to adapt to these new requirements. It is envisaged that it will be mandatory for builders to join the statutory register from 2025. The first categories who will be required to register will likely be house builders and non-residential builders. Registration for various trades will happen subsequently.

When the register is operating on a statutory footing it is envisaged there may be in the order of at least 5,000 entities who will be required to register.

CIRI was established on a voluntary basis in 2014 by the Construction Industry Federation and approximately 800 building and contracting entities are currently included on the register. The existing voluntary register has been renamed as the Voluntary Construction Register (VCR) and it is intended it will remain in existence until the statutory register is up and running.