The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractor Ireland (APHCI)
The Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractor Ireland (APHCI) is the body that represents legal plumbing and heating contractors in Ireland. The organisation has been campaigning for some years to try and stamp out the installation and servicing of unsafe boilers by illegal operators who are putting the lives of thousands of Irish people at risk on a daily basis.
The APHCI engaged Insight Consultants to help their organisation highlight the serious problem that exists and is, apparently, not at all high on the agenda of CER or its subsidiary organisation Registered Gas Installers of Ireland. Our task was to bring this to public and political attention with a view to obtaining action to stamp out this potentially disastrous practice of installing illegal boilers and faulty servicing on a grand scale.
The APHCI engaged Insight Consultants to help their organisation highlight the serious problem that exists and is, apparently, not at all high on the agenda of CER or its subsidiary organisation Registered Gas Installers of Ireland. Our task was to bring this to public and political attention with a view to obtaining action to stamp out this potentially disastrous practice of installing illegal boilers and faulty servicing on a grand scale.
Planning and Strategy
Insight Consultants believed there were key audiences who needed to be targeted. These included the Government, politicians from all parties, the CER, RGII, the media, influencers such as the Consumers Association of Ireland, the insurance industry and the general public.
We obtained the vitally important statistical information about the level of illegality in the sector from research carried out by APHCI. We also obtained their agreement to carry out research amongst their members on their experience of dealing with members of the public who had dealt with illegal operators to their cost. We also asked and obtained their agreement to carry out research on their members’ level of confidence in the regulatory system. The latter showed that 98% had no confidence in the current regulatory system.
We also correlated case studies so as to highlight the totally inadequate installation and servicing of boilers and the dangerous situations that resulted. These included a woman from Ballyfermot who had two serious gas leaks following an installation. On reporting this to RGII they failed to address the complaint and instead gave her the name of a registered installer.
In another case a Co. Meath woman rang the RGII to say that illegal operators were working two doors down from her home. RGII said they do not send out inspectors and a written complaint would have to be submitted for consideration!!
Media training sessions were carried out with the leadership of APHCI so that their key messages were refined and they were all using the same statistical information. This information was distilled into a highly readable and accessible infographic.
We obtained the vitally important statistical information about the level of illegality in the sector from research carried out by APHCI. We also obtained their agreement to carry out research amongst their members on their experience of dealing with members of the public who had dealt with illegal operators to their cost. We also asked and obtained their agreement to carry out research on their members’ level of confidence in the regulatory system. The latter showed that 98% had no confidence in the current regulatory system.
We also correlated case studies so as to highlight the totally inadequate installation and servicing of boilers and the dangerous situations that resulted. These included a woman from Ballyfermot who had two serious gas leaks following an installation. On reporting this to RGII they failed to address the complaint and instead gave her the name of a registered installer.
In another case a Co. Meath woman rang the RGII to say that illegal operators were working two doors down from her home. RGII said they do not send out inspectors and a written complaint would have to be submitted for consideration!!
Media training sessions were carried out with the leadership of APHCI so that their key messages were refined and they were all using the same statistical information. This information was distilled into a highly readable and accessible infographic.
Insight and APHCI then began an intensive series of media briefings to highlight the extent of the problem and how thousands of Irish lives were being put at serous risk on a daily basis. We obtained significant coverage from both print and broadcast media which enabled us to get the attention of politicians from all parties but particularly from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport and Communications.
The case studies we had collated proved to be invaluable as they brought the human dimension to the story and brought back memories of such tragedies as the carbon monoxide poisoning case in the hotel in Kinsale some years ago. It also embellished the statistical information compiled by APHCI.
We approached the Clerk of the JOC on Transport and Communications and briefed him on why we were requesting a hearing from the Committee on the issue of illegal installation and servicing of natural gas boilers. The Chairman of the JOC was John O’Mahony TD who was highly respected by all party members of the Oireachtas. He was approached also and proved to be most receptive to the case we put forward with the APHCI.
On foot of our request and briefings we had given, the JOC agreed to hold hearings to which APHCI and CER were invited. This proved to be a major success for the APHCI case. It attracted expensive publicity and demonstrated the inadequacy of the regulatory system.
The JOC reported its findings in July 2015 and received extensive publicity. Prior to its findings being issued Insight ensured that the media were aware of the report and its potential findings.
Its findings were warmly welcomed by APHCI and by Dermot Jewell of the Consumers Association of Ireland. The APHCI made some suggestions on the recommendations contained in the report.
The findings received extensive media attention and widespread publicity.
The case studies we had collated proved to be invaluable as they brought the human dimension to the story and brought back memories of such tragedies as the carbon monoxide poisoning case in the hotel in Kinsale some years ago. It also embellished the statistical information compiled by APHCI.
We approached the Clerk of the JOC on Transport and Communications and briefed him on why we were requesting a hearing from the Committee on the issue of illegal installation and servicing of natural gas boilers. The Chairman of the JOC was John O’Mahony TD who was highly respected by all party members of the Oireachtas. He was approached also and proved to be most receptive to the case we put forward with the APHCI.
On foot of our request and briefings we had given, the JOC agreed to hold hearings to which APHCI and CER were invited. This proved to be a major success for the APHCI case. It attracted expensive publicity and demonstrated the inadequacy of the regulatory system.
The JOC reported its findings in July 2015 and received extensive publicity. Prior to its findings being issued Insight ensured that the media were aware of the report and its potential findings.
Its findings were warmly welcomed by APHCI and by Dermot Jewell of the Consumers Association of Ireland. The APHCI made some suggestions on the recommendations contained in the report.
The findings received extensive media attention and widespread publicity.
Results
The campaign was a major success in that the JOC on Transport and Communications was sufficiently engaged in and concerned by the issue of illegal gas installations and very poor servicing as to prioritise it and hold public hearings.
Members of the Committee met with local heating contractors and visited and saw for themselves illegal and dangerous installations.
The JOC adopted a report , which contained all of the key objectives of the APHCI and had the report debated and laid before the Dáil in December 2015. The JOC report was unanimously adopted by the Committee and all parties supported the APHCI’s concerns and the JOC will hold regular reviews with all parties to ensure progress is made on the recommendations.
The report findings were:
APHCI made a number of suggestions to the committee as to how its recommendations could be implemented. The report was described by Chairman Sean Giffney as representing a “red letter day” for the industry and for the organisation.
The report was immediately followed up by the Committee who made representations to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White TD to have its findings studied carefully and actions taken.
The Government was alerted to the scandal in an unprecedented fashion while the media were energised by the issue and gave it repeated and extensive coverage.
Insight Consultants and APHCI have been working hard since then to have the necessary actions undertaken by the Government. That work continued until the dissolution of the Dail and will continue with the new administration.
Members of the Committee met with local heating contractors and visited and saw for themselves illegal and dangerous installations.
The JOC adopted a report , which contained all of the key objectives of the APHCI and had the report debated and laid before the Dáil in December 2015. The JOC report was unanimously adopted by the Committee and all parties supported the APHCI’s concerns and the JOC will hold regular reviews with all parties to ensure progress is made on the recommendations.
The report findings were:
- It accepted the widespread nature of the illegal activity and recommended that an independent expert be appointed to evaluate the extent of this illegality.
- It recommended legislative change to ensure that only registered installers could carry out the work involved
- It urged the insurance industry to engage with CER to make it obligatory for home insurance to be provided to when gas boilers were installed by registered work
- It recommended that the RGII scheme should be extended to include non-domestic Gas Works.
APHCI made a number of suggestions to the committee as to how its recommendations could be implemented. The report was described by Chairman Sean Giffney as representing a “red letter day” for the industry and for the organisation.
The report was immediately followed up by the Committee who made representations to the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White TD to have its findings studied carefully and actions taken.
The Government was alerted to the scandal in an unprecedented fashion while the media were energised by the issue and gave it repeated and extensive coverage.
Insight Consultants and APHCI have been working hard since then to have the necessary actions undertaken by the Government. That work continued until the dissolution of the Dail and will continue with the new administration.
