Local councils are responsible for making sure that buildings are safe to use. This is set out in the Building Control Acts and the Building Control Regulations. When county councils, city councils or city and county councils act under this legislation, they are called building control authorities. The law gives the building control authorities certain responsibilities and certain powers to regulate the safety of buildings.
The Building Control Acts allows a building control authority to grant a dispensation from any requirement of the Building Regulations for buildings or works. The building control authority also has the power to grant a relaxation of any requirement of the Building Regulations.
It is important to note that only the requirements of the Building Regulations may be granted dispensation or relaxation. Guidance given in Technical Guidance Documents may not otherwise be dispensed with or relaxed. |
Information about how to apply for these dispensations or relaxations is available from your building control authority.
If you are dissatisfied with the decision of a building control authority on an application for a dispensation from or relaxation of Building Regulations requirements, you can appeal the decision to An Bord Pleanála.