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Architects' Alliance of Ireland

Architects' Alliance of Ireland
Architects' Alliance of Ireland logo.GIF
Abbreviation AAoI
Formation 2009
Type Advocacy group
Purpose Architects' registration
Region served
Ireland
Chairperson
Margaret Kirwan
Main organ
Committee of officers
Website http://www.architectsalliance.ie/

The Architects' Alliance of Ireland (AAoI) (Irish: Ailtirí 'Comhaontas na hÉireann) is an Irish pressure group founded in 2009. Its purpose is to lobby for a change in recent legislation in Ireland.

Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007 requires long-established self-trained architects to undergo assessments before continuing to practice. The Alliance regards the present assessment test as inappropriate and overly expensive. It sees itself as in conflict with the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.

The Alliance has declared its founders to be Leonard Barrett (Midleton), Liam Hazel (Skibbereen), Brian Montaut (Bray) and Adrian Turner (Athlone).

The Architects' Alliance of Ireland (AAoI) was formed at the start of 2009 in response to Part 3 of the Building Control Act 2007. The Act sought for the first time to control the use of the term "architect" in the Republic of Ireland. Prior to the passing of the Act any practitioner could legally use the title architect. The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI) claims that it is to protect the consumer that the Building Control Act protected the title.

The AAoI is lobbying for an amendment of the legislation to allow self-taught and other qualified practitioners, established 7 years prior to the enforcement of the Building Control Act 2007, to be automatically registered as architects without undergoing examinations that they consider discriminative. AAoI claims that automatic registration is a privilege that was offered to established RIAI members. It also claims that the current assessment is designed by the RIAI to fail the large majority of applicants. In May 2010 and July 2012 it gave evidence before an Oireachtas (national parliament) committee, the Joint Committee on the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The group is arguing for a grandfather clause and is lobbying for an amendment to that effect before the RIAI, TDs, Ministers and the European Commission. It claims to have found inconsistencies in the legislation and its implementation, and has complained to the Irish Government, the Competition Authority of Ireland, and the European Commission. The lobbying efforts of the Alliance gained the support of John O'Donoghue TD who has tabled The Building Control (Amendment) Bill 2010. Due to a change in government the bill was never presented in front of the Dail (lower house of the Irish Parliament).


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