Overview
The Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022 was enacted and signed into law by the President on 5 July 2022.
In early 2023, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage appointed the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) as the CIRI Registration Body. An Admissions and Registration Board was established by the government in late 2023. A Registrar was appointed in January 2024. The relevant government department is the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), headed by Minister James Browne.
As a result of the Regulation of Providers of Building Works and Miscellaneous Provisions Act 2022, a new statutory register is in development, making it mandatory for all providers of building works to be registered. This register will be known as the Construction Industry Register Ireland (CIRI). CIRI will be an online register of competent builders, developers, specialists and trades. The register will be recognised as the primary online resource for public and private procurement of buildings and related services.
CIRI registration, following division setting and ministerial regulation, will ultimately be a legal requirement for any provider of building works that undertakes the building of buildings, or extensions to buildings, or provides services and trades, to which the Building Regulations or Building Control Amendment Regulations (BC(A)R) apply. Providers may be sole traders, partnerships, companies, corporations, special purpose vehicles (SPVs), subsidiaries and joint ventures. Providers of electrical and gas works are not required to register with CIRI, these are regulated separately and have their own registers.
A listing on the register will be granted to those applicants meeting specific eligibility requirements as outlined by the CIRI Admission and Registrations Board and the 2022 Act. CIRI registration means that the applicant has successfully undergone a comprehensive assessment process for admission to a specific register division.
CIRI registrants will appoint at least one registered competent person per division, meet all necessary insurance, legal and other regulatory requirements and engage in continuing professional development to stay at the forefront of building best practice.
As the registration body, the CIF is responsible for administering the operational and technical systems to set up the register. The required digital product and application procedure is currently in development.
Applications for CIRI registration will open by early 2026 with a phased approach. The first Divisions launched are expected to be in a category of providers of residential dwellings: triplex and duplex buildings, housing developments of ten or more and all apartment providers. Applicants have 12 months after each Division launch to become registered.
The CIRI register will be available to the public and published online.
CIRI registration will require providers of building works to:
- Only undertake work for which they are CIRI registered.
- Appoint competent persons with division-appropriate knowledge, skill and expertise.
- Demonstrate a business framework to support the competent person.
- Provide relevant business documentation.
- Be tax compliant and have required levels of insurance in place.
- Declare any business or owner/principal convictions under specific legislation.
- Appoint one named principal or manager to successfully complete an online induction course.
- Complete an application online and pay an initial registration fee as required.
- Have in place and implement a continuing professional development (CPD) policy.
- Adhere to the Code of Practice for Providers of Building Works.
- Complete a renewal application online and pay a fee as required.
