Dail Éireann · 2025-02-13
7 contributions · 2 speakers · 194 words
Will the OPW ensure that buildings it is responsible for in construction projects in County Donegal are using blocks that are free from the deleterious materials, and has it checked existing buildings for the presence of these same materials? The OPW ensures the quality of the concrete blockwork used in all its building projects complies with the European standard for masonry blockwork. There are no buildings under the responsibility of the OPW in Donegal that have been identified to have this issue, to the best of my knowledge.
There are leisure centres, creches and public buildings affected with this defective concrete. The Deputy asked me about OPW buildings, and I identified not to my knowledge.
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Will the OPW ensure that buildings it is responsible for in construction projects in County Donegal are using blocks that are free from the deleterious materials, and has it checked existing buildings for the presence of these same materials?
The OPW ensures the quality of the concrete blockwork used in all its building projects complies with the European standard for masonry blockwork. This requires that the manufacturer shall supply a certificate with each delivery of concrete blocks stating the date of manufacture and that the blocks comply with all the requirements of the standard. It includes a declaration of performance and a European certificate marking and is in accordance with the technical guidance documents. Where a building shows cracks that may be consistent with the presence of a deleterious material, an inspection is carried out by a suitably qualified engineer. Appropriate sampling and testing may be carried out as required on a case by case basis. There are no buildings under the responsibility of the OPW in Donegal that have been identified to have this issue, to the best of my knowledge.
There are buildings with this in Donegal. I am asking exactly what testing procedures are being carried out. There are buildings affected throughout Donegal. There are leisure centres, creches and public buildings affected with this defective concrete. I ask the Minister of State to look into this and come to the realisation that 40% of creches in Donegal are affected. There are public buildings throughout the county, and it is going into other counties too.
The Deputy asked me about OPW buildings, and I identified not to my knowledge. If the Deputy has knowledge of buildings that are showing signs, he should let me know and we will follow them up. At present, according to what I have in front of me, we do not. However, I assure him that if he comes to me with that, I will take it up.
Does the OPW have a plan in place if a building is identified? What will it do to protect people using these buildings? In Letterkenny, for example, there is a leisure centre that serves thousands of people. If that building is identified, what action will it take to address this?
If a building shows signs, then an engineer is assigned and a safety measure is put in place, but as I said at the outset, to the best of my knowledge we have no buildings in Donegal, and I have nothing in front of me to tell me we have. There is no point in me saying what we are or are not going to do if we do not have buildings with the affected blocks. I ask the Deputy to come back to me.
I will come back to the Minister of State.