Sinn Féin's EU candidate for Ireland South has stated that new building regulations to be introduced by Minister Phil Hogan on 1st March are causing much confusion and worry, it has been claimed.

Ní Riada said: "People wishing to build homes or put extensions on their homes or farm properties will have to do so under these new regulations.

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"The regulations require that people building their own homes will have to get certified builders to approve the buildings.

"I have a concern that small and local building companies are going to lose out on essential business and that the new process will inflate costs for the person building.

"Our Local Government Spokesperson Brian Stanley TD has already highlighted that potentially 2,000 self-built houses will not now proceed in 2014 as planned."

(CD/JP)