1818. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department can identify the number of multi-storey car parks currently in use in the State that were constructed before 1990 and before 2000 respectively; whether any programme exists to review the structural condition and continued suitability of older multi-storey car parks having regard to their age, deterioration and changes in vehicle loading since their construction; whether consideration has been given to establishing such a review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61917/26]

1819. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a structural assessment is required before electric vehicle charging infrastructure is installed in an existing multi-storey car park; whether consideration must be given to the potential concentration of heavier vehicles in designated EV charging areas and the resulting localised loading on existing structures; whether guidance has been issued in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61915/26]

1820. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the statutory requirements for the periodic structural inspection or reassessment of existing multi-storey car parks; whether such inspections or assessments are required to consider changes in vehicle weights and loading patterns since the structure was originally designed and constructed; whether his Department has issued guidance to local authorities, building owners or operators in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61914/26]

1821. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has undertaken, commissioned or received any assessment of the structural capacity of existing multi-storey car parks in the State in the context of increases in the average weight of passenger vehicles, including electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and larger SUVs; whether consideration has been given to the impact of changing vehicle weights on car parks constructed under older building standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61913/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1818, 1819, 1820 and 1821 together.

Responsibility for the ongoing operation, management, maintenance and safety of buildings, including multi-storey carparks, is a matter for the building owners, operators and managers. Owners, operators and managers should seek advice from suitably qualified and experienced professionals with regard to any remedial measures that may need to be taken.

In respect of the design and construction of buildings, the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2025 provides for the making of Building Regulations, which set out the minimum performance requirements for the construction of new buildings and certain works to existing buildings. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in 12 parts (classified as Parts A to M) in the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

Part A of the Building Regulations provides that a building shall be designed and constructed, with due regard to the theory and practice of structural engineering. The accompanying Technical Guidance Document A provides guidance indicating how the requirements of that Part can be achieved in practice. Where works are carried out in accordance with the relevant technical guidance, such works are considered to be, prima facie, in compliance with the relevant regulation(s).

The primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings.

Technical Guidance Document A refers to the Eurocodes as the basis for structural design of building and civil engineering works in Ireland, including carpark design loading. The Eurocode standards were adopted in Ireland in March 2010. Prior to this, Technical Guidance Document A referred to British Standards for carpark design loadings.

Levels of safety relating to structural design are controlled at a national level via Nationally Determined Parameters (NDPs) which are set out in an accompanying National Annex to each Eurocode part. In Ireland, the National Annex to each Eurocode part is maintained by the National Standards Authority of Ireland who are Ireland’s official standards body and is an autonomous body under the aegis of the Minister for Enterprise Trade and Employment. Further information is available at www.nsai.ie/standards/sectors/construction-standards/the-eurocodes/.

The Building Control Acts do not regulate the operation or maintenance of existing buildings. My Department has not undertaken, commissioned or received any assessment of the structural capacity of existing multi-storey car parks in the State nor has it issued any guidance in regard to periodic structural inspection or reassessment of existing multi-storey car parks. My Department does not gather information on the number of multi-storey car parks currently in use in the State.