merrion street

Minister Hayes today in Dublin Castle opened the General Assembly meeting of the

(ACE).  ACE is a pan-European body whose aims include promoting sustainability and high standards in architectural design and planning.

His address touched on the important challenges facing the architectural profession and his Office’s and the Government’s response.

The main concern for the foreseeable future will be ensuring compliance with various directives and legislative enactments such as providing full universal access to all public buildings by 2022 and meeting the EU targets for 30% reduction in carbon for buildings by 2020.  Attention will also be directed at planned maintenance and conservation planning for the many historic properties in State ownership

Quoting the recently published survey

the Minister noted declines of 15% in construction output and 22% in the architectural market in Europe over the past two years.  Central to addressing such circumstances is recognition of the importance of Small and Medium Enterprises to the economy.  Minister Hayes, focusing on the need to address barriers to SMEs benefitting from public procurement opportunities, stated that ...

New guidelines have been put in place for contracting authorities aimed at increasing SME participation in public procurement.  The National Procurement Service (NPS) in the OPW acts as a centre of excellence providing advice on and implementing procurement policy in line with best practice and Government initiatives, including improved access to public procurement opportunities for SMEs.

One measure already  in place is replacing the restrictive tendering process for all public procurement construction contracts for services under €125,000 with an open public tender process.  This measure and several others under consideration are required “to improve the balance of commissions between the large and smaller practices.”

Concerning the need to retain architecture graduates in Ireland the Minister referred to the OPW's Graduate Training Programme.  This Programme, managed by the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland, offers graduates practical work experience through a 36-month work placement in the OPW.  The success of this scheme has resulted in a similar arrangement being extended to the OPW’s Engineering Service.

The Minister concluded by referring to the 45 ongoing and planned actions under the

The approach to realizing these actions will be from the perspective of sustainable development and care and protection of our built heritage.  A total of 21 actions have been initiated and/or progressed from 2010 covering all areas of the policy.  The OPW is fully engaged with other key partners in the implementation of the policy and in the advancement of this first tranche of actions.