asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he will amend the regulations relating to installation and maintenance of burglar alarm systems; if he is aware of the nuisance many of them are presently causing by ringing often all night due to electrical and other faults; if it is possible to introduce a maximum time limit of 15 minutes, in order to cut down on the nuisance which many families are experiencing particularly in urban areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Burglar Alarm Systems.
14.
I sympathise very much with those people who may be affected by the malfunctioning particularly at night of intruder alarm systems. However, the prevention of such difficulties is essentially a matter for subscribers to the alarm systems and the companies which provide and instal them. The installation and maintenance of such systems are not, so far as my responsibilities are concerned, the subject of any regulations having the force of law.
Intruder alarm systems are, however, the subject of an Irish standard specification (I.S. 199: 1978) published in 1978 by the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards. This specification, which is a voluntary one, was prepared at the request of those involved in the supply and installation of intruder systems and with the interests of the subscriber, the gardaí and the insurance industry also in mind.
The standard covers the construction, installation, operation and maintenance of intruder alarm systems with a view to improving their reliability and minimising the number of false alarms. The standard is accordingly intended to meet the situation described in the question.
I am at a loss to understand what the Minister means when he said that the specifications he referred to are designed to meet the point of the question. Is the Minister aware that over half the calls brought about by these burglar alarm systems are false alarms of some kind or another? Would the Minister be good enough to make representations to the Institute for Industrial Research and Standards, or indeed make an order himself, to ensure that people would not have to put up with alarms ringing all night, particularly in dense urban centres where there may be a small residential population, where it may not be possible to contact the owners of the shops until next morning, and where I am assured this is a real nuisance because presently there is no protection of any kind for these people who must listen to this ringing night after night?
I am not aware of the percentage of false alarms mentioned by the Deputy. With regard to the question of interference caused by the malfunctioning, as I have already said, I sympathise with the Deputy and the many people involved. However, the specification brought in was done at the request of the industry. It was prepared with the industry, with the interests of the subscribers, the alarm company, the Garda and the insurance industry being borne in mind. The specification was drawn up using a corresponding British one. Part of the specification points out that no system, however well designed or maintained, can be completely reliable. I regret the interference caused.
As far as making it a mandatory standard—it is a voluntary standard—the relevant section of the Act which gives powers to prescribe mandatory standards relates only to the safe use of products by the public. Consequently, it is not within our power to make it a mandatory standard. But, even if we did, it is impossible to devise any system, however well-designed and maintained, which is completely reliable or tamper-proof.
We would all accept that it is not possible to have a foolproof system. But would the Minister consider at further length the suggestion I outlined in the question, which is simply that there would be a technical limit to the time for which the alarm would actually ring, which would mean at least that after 15 minutes or so the ringing would cease? Would the Minister accept that that is technically possible and that, if I have his sympathy on this question, presumably he would be willing to consider the point at further length in view of the real nuisance being caused regularly to people with young children and so on who cannot sleep night after night in some city streets because of the bells ringing?
I would not be in a position to say whether or not it would be technically possible but I can assure the Deputy that I shall have the matter examined.