The Irish Building Regulations, are they stifling innovation and holding back productivity in the Irish Construction Sector?

Ireland has some of the most stringent Building Regulations in Europe which is resulting in our building stock being built to a higher quality than is seen in other jurisdictions. The question has to be asked – are the extra costs associated necessary in terms or quality or are they adding unnecessary price increases at a time of continued price inflation in he construction industry? To frame it differently have the regulations been put in place out of necessity or out of fear of the unknown as a “just in-case” measure.