Formal action has been taken against three quarries in Donegal following a government audit.
Concrete block manufacturers and quarries across the county were visited in 2021 and inspected for formal and technical compliance. The findings have been published in a report today.
Market Surveillance Authorities took “corrective actions” against three quarries over errors which primarily relate to paperwork, the report said. Two actions were in respect of concrete blocks, and one in relation to aggregates. This involved adjustments to factory production control processes and/or recertification audits by the Notified Body with a view to bringing the products back into compliance with the Construction Products Regulation to the satisfaction of the Market Surveillance Authorities (NBCMSO and DCC) and GSI.
“In general, there was a level of formal non-compliance with the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation among economic operators in Donegal,” the report said.
“These issues primarily related to errors in and omissions of the paperwork, and the report states that this generally did not reflect a concern with the tested performance of the products themselves.”
The corrective actions in Donegal are said to be complete or in the process of being completed to the satisfaction of the authorities.
Concrete blocks were sampled from nine manufacturers in Co. Donegal and sent for testing to determine the level of technical compliance with I.S. EN 771-3: Specification for Masonry Units2. The results of the tests carried out show that all the concrete blocks sampled met the declared performance levels on the required technical documentation.
The Donegal audit was carried out at the request of the Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien by the National Building Control & Market Surveillance Office in partnership with Donegal County Council and Geological Survey Ireland in Q3 of 2021.
The report recommended stronger market surveillance activity and further research required on the specific areas of mica and sulphide presence.
A quarry review was carried out by Geological Survey Ireland, and where they had access to geologists’ reports, they said the relevant documents have not identified excessive mica within each quarry as present in potentially deleterious quantities.
The report found: “It should be borne in mind that the standard in question (S.R.16:2016) does not give any explicit permissible quantities of mica or guidance on potentially deleterious morphologies and petrological settings (e.g. free & available mica, mica in fines etc..).
“It may be appropriate to revise the guidance around mica as a deleterious material, in the recognition that this may also require further research into the topic.”
Welcoming receipt of this report the Minister said: “The results of this audit highlights the importance and value of active market surveillance in the quarrying sector and the need to continue this work in Donegal and on a nationwide basis.”
Noting the recommendations contained in the report, the Minister went on to say: “I am committed to continuing to support the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office and the market surveillance authorities with the implementation of the ongoing National Market Surveillance Strategy. This Strategy proposes to continue with and expand on the extractive industries with the aim of contributing to a safer marketplace thus ensuring a high level of protection of public interests.
“While much work has been undertaken to strengthen the regulatory framework to ensure that products from extractive industries comply with the provisions of the Construction Products Regulation, I acknowledge that there is more to do in the context of the findings of the audit report and the broader Programme for Government commitments.
“That’s why we are continuing to implement building control reforms which focus on ensuring strong and effective regulation in the building control system and the construction industry. In July 2022 we legislated for the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 to develop and promote a culture of competence, good practice and compliance with the Building Regulations in the construction sector. We are also progressing the establishment of an independent Building Standards Regulator to oversee building control nationwide and to act as custodian of the Building Control Management System.
“We know what has happened in the past, the impact of which a great number of people are still feeling, and Government will not be complacent on this issue,” he concluded.
Read the full Report of the Market Surveillance of Construction Products here: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/d01d7-report-of-the-market-surveillance-of-construction-products-produced-from-county-donegal-quarries-20212022/
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