House-building has finally been regulated

THE building culture in Ireland has been altered forever, and, all going well, events like the Priory Hall scandal, in Dublin, are far less likely to happen.

On March 1 of last year, new building controls (SI.9) came into law, requiring property owners to demonstrate adherence to the building regulations of their new house or larger extension.

In the past, once planning permission was granted, meeting the design and staying within building regulations was largely a self-policing affair.