Readers will no doubt  be relieved that one of the many onerous and counter productive measures  to be introduced in Ireland in recent years has been rescinded. These were the over complicated building regulations that would have treated all buildings as if they were multi dwelling complexes with multiple inspection visits required at every stage of the building progress, a measure which, it is estimated would have added a minimum of €7,000 in costs to any single dwelling . From an Island perspective that would have been substantially more since engineers need to take 1/2 to a full days from other work to visit the Island. In a country with a severe housing crises and people literally sleeping in the streets  this is not the time to be increasing the costs of providing a home for ones family so dramatically. The social and economic costs of the measure would  have far exceeded any benefits to the citizen. For Cape Clear Island it means a small respite from the avalanche of regulation which threatens our  survival as a viable community.

Fine Gael TD for Cork South West, has said that new regulations, which will come into effect from 1st September 2015, will ease regulations on building single dwelling houses and extensions.

“The Minister for Housing, Paudie Coffey TD, has decided to remove the mandatory requirement for statutory certificates of compliance in respect of a new dwelling on a single unit development or a domestic extension. This will make it less burdensome for people in West Cork and around the country to build or extend their home.

“Owners, including self-builders, will be given the choice to opt out of statutory certification and may instead demonstrate by alternative means that they have met their general obligation to build in accordance with the minimum requirements of the building regulations. Additional guidance, including a Sample Preliminary Inspection Plan, will be published to assist with this process.