New Measures Announced For Control Of Building Projects

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Phil Hogan, T.D., today announced strict new measures for the control of building projects.

The Building Control Amendment Regulations 2013 set out to prevent the future reoccurrence of poorly constructed dwellings, pyrite damage and structures breaching fire regulations left as a legacy of a poorly regulated housing boom.

"This is all about restoring consumer confidence in construction as an industry," said the Minister. "The new Building Control Regulations are a major step forward and will for the first time give home-owners clarity, traceability and accountability at all stages of the building process. They will provide consumers with the protection they need and deserve."

Assigned Certifiers, who can be registered architects, engineers or building surveyors, will inspect building works at key stages during construction. The Assigned Certifier and the builders will both certify that a finished building complies with the requirements of the building regulations.

“This new continuum of design, inspection and construction by registered professionals and competent builders will guarantee that Irish consumers are delivered the high quality homes and buildings that they expect and deserve,” the Minister said.

In summary, the new Building Control Amendment Regulations require:

• Submission of compliance drawings and documentation to local building control authorities

• Setting out and executing an inspection plan by the Assigned Certifier

Signing of mandatory certificates of compliance by the designer prior to construction and by the Assigned Certifier and the Builder when a building is complete.

The Minister continued: "The mandatory certificates will be clear, unambiguous statements on statutory forms stating that each of the key parties to a project certifies that the works comply with the building regulations and that they accept legal responsibility for their work.

"The new approach establishes a clear chain of responsibility for building works prior to commencement through to completion, in a system where lack of such a chain led to disastrous failures with dire consequences for the lives of homeowners and families. As soon as these regulations become operational, homeowners who encounter a problem with a building will be in a radically better place. They will be able to immediately access information which can lead them towards a solution to the problem. Consumer protection is all about maintaining and controlling information, this is the first time we've had such protection in this area."

(CD)