asked the Minister for Local Government whether any examination has been made of the adequacy of fire precautions in discotheques, restaurants and entertainment centres, many of which have recently been opened in the Dublin area.
Written Answers. - Fire Precautions.
94.
Provisions for the licensing, control and supervision of places used for public dancing are contained in the Public Dance Halls Act, 1935. The main statutory provisions with which I am concerned are contained in the Fire Brigades Act, 1940. That Act empowers sanitary authorities to inspect any buildings which are believed to be, or suspected to be, potentially dangerous from a fire point of view and, if necessary, to take steps to have specified changes made in the interests of fire safety. I am satisfied that existing legislative provisions confer reasonable powers on local authorities to exercise control in relation to fire danger in the type of premises mentioned by the Deputy and I am satisfied that inspections are being carried out, and follow-up action taken, where appropriate.
To guide and assist local authorities, and others, the Department has prepared, and made available, fire protection standards providing guidelines in structural fire protection, fire fighting equipment, means of escape and fire drills and evacuation procedures.
I have appealed to all sanitary authorities to step up their fire prevention operations and have encouraged them to appoint special fire prevention officers.
I have also asked the working party which I have set up to review aspects of the fire service to give special attention to the question of fire prevention needs.