The Building Control system in Ireland is in the process of undergoing significant change. The Department of Environment, Community and Local Government published the S.I. 80 of 2013 Building Control (Amendment) Regulations, and, following further feedback and consultation, published S.I. 9 of 2014 Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (which revoke and replace S.I. 80), with a view to strengthening the Building Control system. 



These regulations came into effect on 1st March 2014.



​One of the key differences in these new regulations is the requirement to engage Assigned Certifiers, who can be registered architects, engineers or building surveyors, and who 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.

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.

It is expected that compliance will be improved in future by the two main factors:
1. If anyone signs a statutory certificate for a building which subsequently proves to be non-compliant, they can be held legally liable for the consequences; and
2. Greater onus is now placed on professionals to provide consumers with a more comprehensive service and failure to do so incurs the risk of being censured, suspended or ultimately removed from their professional body.



The Assigned Certifier will be contracted by the owner/developer.

Each local authority, when it receives the final certificate of compliance, will retain all drawings and particulars relevant to buildings/works and include the final Certificate of Completion on its statutory register. The documentation will be accessible to anyone who subsequently acquires an interest in the building concerned.

The Assigned Certifier on every site will:

• become a single point of contact to coordinate the compliance documentation submitted,

• provide a professional response to local authority information requests, and

• inspect during construction for compliance with building regulations.

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