asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy whether he intends introducing safety regulations governing the design of children's cots.
12.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Cot Design Standards.
11.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if there are any safety standards pertaining to children's dropside cots; and if not, if he will consider introducing such standards.
With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle, I propose to take Questions Nos. 11 and 12 together.
There are at present no safety standards pertaining to children's dropside cots. Following cot accidents in other countries, the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards was asked some time ago by my Department to prepare a compulsory standard for babies' cots. However, I am now advised by the Institute that the International Standards Organisation has undertaken the preparation of a standard relating to safety aspects of children's cots. As a matter of policy, national standards organisations prefer not to work on a national standard if an international standard is pending, and in view of the fact that no accidents resulting from faulty cot design have been reported in this country I have agreed that we should await the completion of an international standard on which an Irish national standard can then be based and given compulsory effect.
Did the Minister say that there are no standards at present?
That is correct.
And that it is not intended to introduce any in the foreseeable future?
It is intended.
When?
The situation is that the International Standards Organisation has undertaken the preparation of a standard relating to safety aspects of cots. This is in progress and when the standard has been prepared it will be adopted by us.
Is it true that there is no intention to introduce any standards here until the international standards have been introduced.
I hope the international standard will be available in the near future.
Is the Minister aware that there have been numerous accidents, fortunately of a minor nature, here but that in England there has been at least one fatal accident due to the bad construction and the varying designs of those cots?
I am sympathetic to the question of improving the standard of cots generally. I have two little children and I am conscious of the need for standards in cot design. I hope that the international organisation will come forward in the near future with a design. They have a working party studying it at present. As soon as they provide us with a standard it will be implemented.
Will the Minister have consultations with the IIRS with a view to introducing our own standards pending notification from the international organisation?
The IIRS, like other national standard organisations throughout the world, as a matter of policy prefer to wait for the international body. I can ask the IIRS to press the international body with regard to speeding up the preparation of an international standard.
Surely this is a matter for the Minister and not the IIRS.
The Deputy's point is taken, but naturally he would assume that I do not have the technical knowledge to prepare these standards myself. We depend on the IIRS and, through the IIRS, on the International Standards Organisation. I am doing everything I can to speed the matter up.