asked the Minister for the Environment if he is satisfied with the present situation regarding completion certificates for electrical wiring work and satisfactory standards of wiring in housing generally; and if he is satisfied that every step is being taken to ensure that fire hazards do not arise due to inefficient or unsatisfactory wiring standards.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electrical Wiring Standards.
18.
Electrical installations and fitments in all recently built local authority houses meet the requirements of the Electro-Technical Council of Ireland and the Electricity Supply Board. Similar standards are prescribed for private grant-aided new houses. Where such standards are met, I am satisfied that fire hazards should not arise but such hazards can always arise through subsequent misuse of fittings and appliances.
Is the Minister aware that on this very serious issue the standards to which he refers are administered in a most extraordinary laissez faire fashion?
That is a separate question.
Is the Minister further aware that the certificates guaranteeing the alleged standard of the work are available over the counter to anybody who wishes to go in and pay a few pence for them? An article in the Sunday World recently, subsequent to the tabling of my question, had the full facts on this issue. I do not wish to make a political issue of this, but may I ask the Minister please to do something about this matter? These certificates guaranteeing the calibre of the work can be bought by anybody.
Where from?
From the office of the ECTI for a few pence. The reporter who wrote the article walked in and bought one over the counter as have a number of other people including people from the Electrical Safety Bureau who have done good work trying to highlight this issue. Is the Minister further aware that a number of deaths of young children have occurred in circumstances which clearly indicate the most serious concern about the standard of wiring? I would draw the attention of the House to the fact that an electrician who does a job need have no qualification whatever. The only certificate he needs to offer to the ESB is one signed by himself. Is the Minister aware of that extraordinary situation?
The ESB inspect electrical installations.
That is not the case.
They inspect the installations before they connect them.
They do not. If the Minister believes that, he is very much in error.
They have been doing it since 1970.
Only on rare occasions. A certificate signed by the man who has done the job will be accepted by the ESB. He does not have to have one day's qualification.
One would expect that the ESB would ensure that the standards were properly complied with.
I am drawing the Minister's attention to it. It is his job and he should do something about it. Young children have been burnt to death in this city as a result of bad wiring.
It has not been proved that it was due to bad wiring.
Question No. 19.
Would the Minister intercede with his colleague under whose aegis the ESB are to try and get them to ensure that before they make a connection, that to which they are connecting is not lethal? That is the way this was done years ago before we progressed as we are supposed to have done since.
I will draw his attention to this to ensure that the ESB are doing the work they are supposed to do properly.
Arising out of the Minister's reply, might I ask him about people who applied for home improvements grants from his Department? In those instances where the grants cover rewiring of houses, is it a condition that the ESB provide a certificate of approval of the connection?
That the ESB——
That conditional on getting a grant, a certificate from the ESB should be furnished by the applicant that the wiring involved has met the necessary standards of the ESB? I am not asking the Minister to give a yes or no to that, but would he consider investigating such a matter?
I will.
That is not the situation at the moment. The Minister or I could get our houses rewired and the ESB would not check it.
I will.
Question No. 19.
Do I gather from the Minister's reply that he will ask the ESB to inspect all wiring?
I will look into the matter. I will not give a yes or no now but I will examine the matter.
Will the Minister ensure that certificates cannot be bought by any chancer who happens to walk in?
I hope this is not the case.
It is the case.
Having heard what the Deputy has alleged in this regard, I will take the matter up.