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| Donegal Co Cl Headquarters, Lifford, Co Donegal |
Light touch regulation refers to the approach of the government and regulatory bodies to regulate certain industries with minimal intervention. This approach is intended to promote economic growth while allowing businesses to operate with greater flexibility.
In practical terms what did that mean for the concrete manufacturing sector in Donegal as an example?
Local Authorities transfers legal responsibility for the proper manufacture of concrete aggregate and concrete products to the quarry owners and concrete product manufacturers.
Quarry owners and concrete product manufacturers now required to confirm in writing to the local authority on a yearly basis that they are applying the relevant and legal EU regulations etc to their activities.
DCC market surveillance and product control now operate on a reactive basis to the concrete industry.
They respond only to written complaints from the public re illegal practices in the quarries and concrete manufacturing plants.
DCC states that they received no written complaints re either.
So, who is to blame?
Will the DCC hide behind Light Touch Regulation as decided by national government?
Unbelievably, they now stopped Market Surveillance and Building Control officers from carrying out spot checks on quarries to determine the quality of the aggregate and also on concrete manufacturing plants.
It was now the sole responsibility of the quarries and concrete manufacturing plants to police themselves and to make sure all concrete products being sold to the public were up to EU standard and fit for purpose.
This self/light touch regulation was indeed mostly to blame for the inferior products that were sold to the homeowners in Donegal.
Self regulation was a disastrous, delusional concept as greed was certain to become the dominant factor as the quarry and concrete manufacturers were free of all checks and tests.
Each local authority was responsible for implementing its own Market Surveillance and Building Control policy and on that basis Donegal Co Cl has many questions to answer.
Will they adopt the "we knew nothing" response even though they were aware for years anecdotally that houses were cracking wholesale throughout the county.
Not to forget they had 1300 0f their own housing stock doing the same.
Where does that leave the quarries and concrete manufacturing companies?
Some have already stated their products were manufactured at all times according to the relevant standards.
It is also known that some of these companies no longer exist.
Where does it leave the Govt and DCC who primarily caused the problem by introducing self-regulation and allowing the concrete sector an open road without ANY checks or tests?
The Govt introduced the 90/10 grant scheme to cloak the fact that they were primarily to blame for this scandal by introducing the disastrous self regulation that allowed the quarry and concrete owners to supply unfit for purpose products.
Greed became the overriding dominant factor for Govt and the quarry/concrete manufacturers.
Expecting either or both of these groups to own up voluntarily and make just reparation goes against everything they believe in.
Local Authorities transfers legal responsibility for the proper manufacture of concrete aggregate and concrete products to the quarry owners and concrete product manufacturers.
Quarry owners and concrete product manufacturers now required to confirm in writing to the local authority on a yearly basis that they are applying the relevant and legal EU regulations etc to their activities.
DCC market surveillance and product control now operate on a reactive basis to the concrete industry.
They respond only to written complaints from the public re illegal practices in the quarries and concrete manufacturing plants.
DCC states that they received no written complaints re either.
So, who is to blame?
Will the DCC hide behind Light Touch Regulation as decided by national government?
Unbelievably, they now stopped Market Surveillance and Building Control officers from carrying out spot checks on quarries to determine the quality of the aggregate and also on concrete manufacturing plants.
It was now the sole responsibility of the quarries and concrete manufacturing plants to police themselves and to make sure all concrete products being sold to the public were up to EU standard and fit for purpose.
This self/light touch regulation was indeed mostly to blame for the inferior products that were sold to the homeowners in Donegal.
Self regulation was a disastrous, delusional concept as greed was certain to become the dominant factor as the quarry and concrete manufacturers were free of all checks and tests.
Each local authority was responsible for implementing its own Market Surveillance and Building Control policy and on that basis Donegal Co Cl has many questions to answer.
Will they adopt the "we knew nothing" response even though they were aware for years anecdotally that houses were cracking wholesale throughout the county.
Not to forget they had 1300 0f their own housing stock doing the same.
Where does that leave the quarries and concrete manufacturing companies?
Some have already stated their products were manufactured at all times according to the relevant standards.
It is also known that some of these companies no longer exist.
Where does it leave the Govt and DCC who primarily caused the problem by introducing self-regulation and allowing the concrete sector an open road without ANY checks or tests?
The Govt introduced the 90/10 grant scheme to cloak the fact that they were primarily to blame for this scandal by introducing the disastrous self regulation that allowed the quarry and concrete owners to supply unfit for purpose products.
Greed became the overriding dominant factor for Govt and the quarry/concrete manufacturers.
Expecting either or both of these groups to own up voluntarily and make just reparation goes against everything they believe in.
⏩ Enda Craig is a Donegal resident and community activist.
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