Joe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
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238. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will consider reopening local authority laboratories on a regional basis to test for building materials and for aggregate in general used in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27000/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The Construction Products Regulation (EU) No 305/2011 (CPR) sets out rules for the marketing of construction products in the EU. Where a construction product covered by a harmonised standard is being placed on the EU market, the CPR requires the manufacturer to draw up a ‘declaration of performance’ and affix a ‘CE’ marking to the product. In order to do so, manufacturers must test and declare the performance of their construction products using a common technical language prescribed in the harmonised standard.

Ultimately, the manufacturer is responsible for compliance with the CPR and associated testing of the performance of the construction product he or she is placing on the market, having regard to the end product’s suitability for use in construction works.

Building control authorities (local authorities) have been designated as the principal market surveillance authorities for construction products that fall within the scope of the CPR, within their administrative areas. In addition, Dublin City Council has been appointed as a competent authority for the carrying out of market surveillance functions for all related construction products on a nationwide basis.

Market surveillance authorities have extensive powers including the power to obtain access to the place of manufacture or storage, request technical information, select samples of the construction product and carry out evaluations, examination or tests on such samples.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001 each Chief Executive is responsible for the organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which he or she is responsible. As such, building control authorities/market surveillance authorities are independent in the exercise of their statutory powers and issues relating to local authority laboratory services are a matter for each local authority.