The Construction Products Directive: its Influence on Design and Construction

As far as the future is concerned, the practice of structural engineering for many members of our Institution will be heavily influenced by several interrelated developments currently in train in Europe. These developments are taking place approximately in parallel with each other, and this and the foiIowing articles will try to explain, especially to engineers in Ireland, how, and approximately when, these developments will affect their day-to-day practice. N.V.Torpey

The excellent report, Qualitative analysis of structures, by a subcommittee of the Education & Examinations Committee of IStructE, appears not to have received any explicit attention in this journal, since its publication in September 1989. However, the Viewpoint of Mr P. M. Morreau (7 August 1990) was another welcome contribution on the theme and did attract some comment. M.J. Creed

The Republic of Ireland has a strong commitment to the concept of the European Community. With an unenviable history behind it, it now finds itself taking part in a European unification process which is based not on military power but on economic imperatives and, while Ireland constitutes well less than 1% of the European population or of any other measure of contribution, it has an influence far in excess of its size. Perhaps that is why we tend to look positively to the European Community as a source of change for the good. J.A. Kavanagh