Latest Government advice for those in the construction & building trade

2 April 2019

The decision of the UK to leave the EU means change. Addressing the challenges of the UK leaving the EU, particularly without any deal, requires response at EU level, by Government, by citizens, and responses by businesses, and affected sectors.

As part of our preparedness and contingency planning, the Irish Government identified that those in the construction and building trade may be impacted by Brexit.

The following is the latest Government advice that we can give you to help minimise any disruption to your business if you operate in this sector.

Latest advice
Those in the construction sector and all businesses in the building trade are advised to:

  • Review their supply chain to assess the degree to which they rely on materials that come through or from the UK and vice versa.
  • If you buy or sell your materials from or to the UK you will need to prepare for any new customs arrangements and the impact they will have on your business. Revenue has a helpful video presentation available that provides a useful overview of key steps.
  • Check any certifications, licences or authorisations that apply to their products to ensure that these will be valid post-Brexit.
  • If you rely on UK notified bodies for certificates that demonstrate compliance with EU standards, these may no longer be valid post-Brexit. You will need to arrange to either transfer existing certificates to an EU27 Notified Body or to obtain new ones. Businesses can contact the NSAI for further information.
  • Assess and prepare for potential impacts on their cash flow, including in relation to currency fluctuations.

More information available on gov.ie/brexit
Further information is available from www.gov.ie/brexit, which is regularly updated with the latest developments so do check back regularly. This Government website provides practical advice to help businesses and citizens around the country to prepare for Brexit.

Notes to editors
Media Contact
Sean Dunne, Press Officer, Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government
press@housing.gov.ie

Tim Carey, PO Communications, Department of Housing, Planning & Local Government
tim.carey@housing.gov.ie

Available for interview
Experts are available for comment – for more you can contact Sean Dunne or Tim Carey above.

Government contingency work in this area
The Irish Government, working with the EU, has a comprehensive Contingency Action Plan to implement measures to mitigate the impact of Brexit. Regarding this area, here are some of the measures that have recently been undertaken:

  • The Department (DHPLG) is active in its role as the notifying authority for the Construction Products Regulation. This involves carrying out the necessary procedures for the assessment and notification of Notified Bodies in Ireland for construction products. The Irish National Accreditation Board undertakes accreditation and monitoring of notified bodies in Ireland.
  • DHPLG wrote to industry stakeholders in February 2018 raising awareness of Brexit and the EU Commission’s Notice to Stakeholders: “Withdrawal of the United Kingdom and EU Rules in the field of industrial products (10 January 2018)”.
  • In February 2019, the DHPLG wrote to industry stakeholders on the potential implications of Brexit and referencing the EU Commission’s “Questions and answers related to the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union with regard to industrial products.” The letter was sent out to over 93,000 registered users of the BCMS system, such users include construction professionals, builders and owners who are actively involved in construction.
  • The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) and the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government (DHPLG) held two Brexit information seminars for the construction industry in Dublin and Cork on 12 and 13 March 2019.
  • These briefings were aimed at contractors, organisations involved in the construction supply chain, national bodies and local bodies involved in market surveillance and authorised verifiers. The seminars informed attendees on the impact of Brexit on the sector and what they can do to mitigate these risks.
  • The NSAI also held product certification related events in Monaghan, Cavan, Sligo, Belfast, Dublin and Galway from December 2018 through to 2019.

www.gov.ie/brexit

 

 

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