A chara, – Raising the flag for a State-funded Building Inspectorate as John Graby Director of Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland Ltd has done (“Architects call for building inspectorate to enforce rules”, Frank McDonald, October 20th) will seem curious to those who have been aware of Government’s plans to develop a mandatory certification process (“House-standard certification planned says Hogan”, Michael O’Regan, October 21st). However, Mr Graby’s pronouncement does shift attention from the human, social and financial consequences for those who rely upon certificates published by his organisation, the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland Limited.
“In the wake of the Priory Hall debacle”, State and semi-State bodies, the courts, solicitors, lenders, insurers and others can no longer claim ignorance of the porosity of those opinions on compliance. Relatively more robust certificates exist from other recognised professional bodies and these can be favoured until Minister Phil Hogan’s mandatory certification is proven and firmly established. It may be hoped that certifiers themselves will be similarly moved by their professional obligations to purchasers and the public by immediately ceasing to use ineffectual opinions on compliance. – Yours, etc,