asked the Taoiseach if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and by-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
Written Answers. - Departmental Fire Precautions.
Except in relation to fire drills, the matters raised by the Deputy are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. Periodic fire drills are held in the buildings occupied by the Department of the Taoiseach and the question of increasing the frequency of these drills is being examined.
I am assured that the present arrangements regarding fire picquets, protection and prevention in these buildings, while regarded as adequate, are kept under continuous review.
299.
asked the Minister for Energy if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and by-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
With the exception of fire drill, the issues raised by the Deputy are a matter for the Office of Public Works.
My Department moved to their new headquarters in Clare Street only last month and plans are being drawn up for emergency evacuation procedures, etc., including provision for regular fire drill. Such drill will also be a feature of the procedures in other buildings for which I have assumed responsibility since the establishment of my Department last year.
300.
asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and by-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
With the exception of fire drills, the matters raised in the Deputy's question are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works.
Daily fire and safety checks and periodic evacuation drills are held in accommodation under the aegis of my Department.
301.
asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Tourism if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and by-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
With the exception of fire drill, the matters raised by the Deputy are for the Office of Public Works.
Evacuation fire drill procedures have been updated periodically in respect of the buildings occupied by the staff of my Department and fire safety officers are designated in each building. While recent experiences have shown these plans to be adequate, my Department are keeping the situation under review.
302.
asked the Minister for Justice if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention for each of the last ten years; the numbers of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and by-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
Most of the buildings which are occupied by the staff of my Department or by the Garda Síochána are the responsibility of the Commissioner of Public Works and, with the exception of fire drill, the matters referred to in the question are the responsibility of that office.
In regard to the question of fire drill, I am satisfied that there would be a disproportionate expenditure of public time and money in compiling the information sought by the Deputy and I do not think that this would be justified.
As regards the prisons and places of detention, there are special considerations. The closed prisons are constructed in such a way and with such materials as to make it highly unlikely that a fire could spread in them. Special care is taken in constructing new places and renovating old ones to select materials for them which are non-flammable. It is obvioulsy not feasible to have in a prison the sort of exit facilities that would be appropriate in a normal building. However, in terms of fire precautions this is offset to a large extent by the non-flammable nature of the buildings themselves and the fact that there is round-the-clock supervision by staff.
Fires may, of course, be started by people in prison deliberately—for example, during disturbances or riots—and there are procedures to deal with such situations. The "open" institutions in this respect are comparable to places such as hostels and boarding schools and precautions are taken to secure them against fire hazards.
The Office of Public Works advise the Department in relation to fire precautions in the prisons and places of detention and there is frequent consultation with that office in the matter. Occasionally local authority chief fire officers are invited to inspect buildings and offer advice as to the precautions that should be taken. This was done, for example, in relation to the complex of buildings at Loughan House, and the advice of the chief fire officer was taken and implemented in that case. Reports of fire inspections, whether by the Office of Public Works or local authority chief fire officers, are not published.
Expenditure on fire protection and prevention in the prisons area falls under two headings:—
(i) Equipment, facilities, materials etc. provided in conjunction with long term development works. These works included, for example, new fire mains and special fire pumps at Mountjoy, St. Patricks, the Training Unit, Arbour Hill; Cork, Loughan House and Shanganagh Castle. It is not feasible to give separate estimates of such expenditure because they form part of and are inseparable from larger contractual works.
(ii) Equipment provided in normal course to augment fire-fighting potential. Expenditure is readily available only for the past five years and it was as follows: 1976, £3,333; 1977, £330; 1978, £7,042; 1979, £23,603; 1980, £29,935.
Regular fire drills are carried out in all places to the extent that this is feasible, having regard to the nature of the place. It would not be feasible, for example, to arrange for complete evacuation of a "closed" prison. Training courses in fire prevention and fire fighting are arranged for key personnel from time to time.
303.
asked the Minister for Defence if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and by-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
The following amounts have been spent by my Department on fire-fighting equipment for use at military barracks and posts during the periods shown: 1 April 1972 to 31 March 1973, £8,412; 1 April 1973 to 31 March 1974, £16,051; 1 April 1974 to 31 December 1974, £27,221; 1975, £4,678; 1976, £23,545; 1977, £17,759; 1978, £48,513; 1979, Nil; 1980, £60,993.
These figures do not include the cost of maintaining the Curragh Fire Brigade.
The amounts spent by the Department on fire-fighting equipment during the years 1970-71 and 1971-72 are being complied and will be communicated to the Deputy when available.
Fire orders are in force for each individual military barracks and post and these orders are reviewed by the appropriate military authorities at least once a year to ensure that they are adequate for the premises to which they relate. The results of such reviews are not made public.
Fire drill is regularly carried out at all military barracks and posts.
The arrangements for fire prevention and fire fighting at military barracks and posts are prescribed in Defence Regulations (which provide for the making of lacal fire orders) and in General Routine Orders. These arrangements are being reviewed in detail at present.
Regarding other premises used for Departmental purposes the position is that, except in the case of fire drill, all the matters raised by the Deputy are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. Fire drill is carried out regularly at those premises.
304.
asked the Minister for Finance if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
It is not possible to extract from the amounts spent on maintenance and new works at State buildings the sums spent on fire protection and prevention. Apart altogether from works designed solely to improve fire safety, many maintenance and improvement schemes incorporate, as an integral part, an element of improvement of the fire protection and prevention aspects of the buildings.
The general obligation to ensure the safety of staff in State premises is formally entrusted to the occupying Department or Office. Repeated detailed instructions have been issued to all Departments and Offices as to how this responsibility should be discharged. The instructions, which prescribe a daily check on premises, require, inter alia, the carrying out of periodic evacuation drills and the regular review of evacuation procedures. I am having a review carried out to ensure that these instructions are being complied with in the many buildings for which my Department are responsible.
All buildings erected by the Office of Public Works are designed to a high standard of fire prevention and protection. These standards are borne in mind also when accommodation is rented.
All buildings for which the Office of Public Works are responsible have been inspected by appropriate professional and technical staff at varying intervals during the last three years.
I am not prepared to express full satisfaction with all aspects of fire precautions at all State buildings at all times, nor would I be prepared to agree with or promote the complacency which such a statement might suggest. In the area of fire safety, perhaps above all others, vigilance and the encouragement of an awareness on the part of all of the necessity of achieving and maintaining the highest standards is a constant task. It is of reassurance, nevertheless, to note that, insofar as can be determined, no outbreak of fire at State premises has caused serious injury, much less loss of life. I can, however, assure the Deputy that, as heretofore, in all instances, including those where other considerations such as security or economy might obtrude, the safety of staff and of members of the public will continue to remain the paramount and decisive factor.
305.
asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
Except in relation to fire drill, the matters raised by the Deputy are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. In regard to fire drill, periodic evacuation drills are held in the various buildings in which staffs of my Department and of offices under its aegis are located. I am, moreover, having a special review carried out to ensure that the instructions issued by the Office of Public Works in the matter are complied with fully in those buildings.
306.
asked the Minister for Education if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and preventin in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulatins; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
The Office of the Commissioners of Public Works are responsible for the provision and maintenance of official accommodation for the personnel of my Department. This responsibility includes provision in connection with fire protection and prevention, the inspections to be carried out in this regard, and decisions as to whether the buildings conform with existing legislation and by-laws.
Responsibility for fire drill rests with my Department and I have directed that this aspect of the matter should receive careful attention.
Appropriate measures are taken in connection with the planning and extension of school buildings to satisfy the requirements of local planning authorities in the matter of existing legislation and by-laws relating to fire protection and prevention.
Copies of fire precautions routine-drills were distributed by my Department to school authorities in September 1971 with a request that they be brought to the attention of teachers and pupils.
307.
asked the Minister for Agriculture if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respect to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
Fire drill is carried out periodically for staff at my Department's headquarters and arrangements are being made to introduce it for staff at local offices.
The other matters raised by the Deputy are the concern of the Office of Public Works. I am having a review carried out to ensure that the instructions issued by that office in relation to fire prevention and protection are fully complied with.
308.
asked the Minister for the Gaeltacht if she will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of her Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether she is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in her area of responsibility.
Is iad Coimisinéirí na nOibreacha Poiblí atá freagrach i gcóiríocht oifige do mo Roinnse agus i sábháilteacht na cóiríochta sin. I gcás na bhfoirgneamh ina bhfuil oifigigh de chuid mo Roinne lonnaithe tá córas sásúil i bhfeidhm chun druileáil dóiteáin nó éigeandála eile a chleachtadh go rialta.
309.
asked the Minister for Health if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention for each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
My Department have no buildings under their direct aegis. Except in relation to fire drills, the matters referred to by the Deputy are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. Fire drill has been carried out on a regular basis in some, but not all, of the Department's offices but the situation is at present being reviewed.
I would mention for the information of the Deputy that buildings in which health care is delivered are the responsibility of the health boards and other statutory bodies or voluntary agencies. It is the practice to remind such organisations from time to time of the need for vigilance and preparedness in the area of fire protection. The position in this respect is at present being reviewed.
310.
asked the Minister for Social Welfare if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
Except in relation to fire drill, the matters raised by the Deputy are the concern of the Office of Public Works.
Periodic fire drill is carried out in my Department's major office buildings and the position in all the smaller offices is being reviewed with a view to arranging for fire drill to be carried out where required.
311.
asked the Minister for Fisheries and Forestry if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
Matters relating to fire protection and prevention of buildings occupied by my Department are dealt with by the Office of Public Works and the Minister for Finance will make a statement in relation to the matter.
Fire drill is carried out in buildings occupied by the Department from time to time.
312.
asked the Minister for Posts and Telegraphs if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
The Office of Public Works are responsible for the construction and maintenance of Post Office premises including the provision of fire protection measures in accordance with existing legislation and bye-laws in such premises. Office of Public Works personnel inspect Post Office premises from time to time. Expenditure on fire protection and prevention is part of building and maintenance costs and a separate record of such expenditure is not kept.
Guidelines regarding fire precautions, including practice fire drills, have been issued. Implementation of the arrangements is normally the responsibility of the person in charge of the particular building concerned but in the case of some large buildings particular officers have been given special responsibility for fire security including fire drills. No central record is kept of the fire drills carried out in the numerous Post Office buildings throughout the country.
Urgent review of fire precautions in my Department is being made to ensure the existing arrangements are adequate and that the instructions on this matter are being observed.
313.
asked the Minister for Transport if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to all existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
I understand that the Minister for Finance is replying in regard to expenditure, inspection and reports on fire protection and prevention in all Government buildings which are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works, including a number of buildings occupied by members of my staff. Evacuation procedures have been operational in respect of the larger buildings for some time and have been activated on a number of occasions during the past year following bomb scares and were found to be satisfactory.
There are a number of small meteorological and radio stations around the country occupied by staff of my Department on a round-the-clock basis. The numbers on duty at any given time are so small as to render a formal evacuation procedure unnecessary.
A number of staff occupy buildings at the three State airports, Ballygirreen Radio Station, Urlanmore and Mount Gabriel Secondary Surveillance Radar Station. Responsibility for fire prevention and protection at these buildings rests with Aer Rianta.
(a) Fire inspections are carried out on all Aer Rianta buildings at least twice annually. In addition to this airport policemen are also firemen and when on patrol carry out fire prevention inspections as part of their duties.
(b) Fire safety committees are at present being set up at all three airports and staff bodies have been invited to nominate representatives. When these committees are fully operational they will have authority to ask for a fire inspection in any area. Copies of the subsequent reports will be available to staff if requested.
(c) Bomb evacuation drills have been carried out at all three airports but these have been kept to a minimum in order to avoid disruption of essential services.
With regard to State-sponsored bodies, fire prevention and protection are matters of day-to-day administration in which my Department do not intervene. These bodies are, however, responsible to the fire officers of the local authorities in the areas where their offices are located.
I am satisfied that every effort is being made to ensure the safety and protection against fire of not only staff but members of the public visiting buildings under the aegis of my Department and to ensure the safe and speedy evacuation of all such premises in the event of an emergency. The arrangements are, however, subject to review so as to identify any necessary and practicable improvements that may emerge in the light of experience.
314.
asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention in each of the last ten years; the number of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
In relation to semi-State bodies under the aegis of my Department, the questions raised are a matter for these bodies. In so far as my own Department are concerned, the position is that, except in relation to fire drill, the matters referred to by the Deputy are the responsibility of the Office of Public Works. Fire drills have been carried out recently in some of the Departments premises but not in all. This position is being reviewed to ensure drills are carried out in all offices on a regular basis.
315.
asked the Minister for Labour if he will state in respect of all buildings under the aegis of his Department the annual sum spent on fire protection and prevention for each of the last ten years; the numbers of occasions in the last three years in which inspections were carried out to ascertain the degree of accord of such buildings with fire regulations; by whom such inspections were carried out; whether reports of such inspections are available publicly; whether fire drill is regularly carried out in such buildings; whether the buildings conform in all respects to existing legislation and bye-laws in relation to fire protection and prevention; and whether he is fully satisfied with all aspects of fire precaution measures applying in his area of responsibility.
The buildings in which staff of my Department are located are as follows: 1, Davitt House, Mespil Road, Dublin 4; 2, O'Connell Bridge House, Dublin 2; 3, D'Olier House, D'Olier Street, Dublin 2; 4, ESRI Building, Mespil Road, Dublin 4; 5, Local National Manpower offices throughout the country; 6, Local industrial inspectorate offices throughout the country.
Apart from Davitt House, most of these premises are shared with other occupants. Except in relation to fire drills, the matters raised in the question by the Deputy are the concern of the Office of Public Works. In regard to fire drills, their frequency varies according to the size and lay-out of the buildings and the number of staff involved. The adequacy of existing arrangements is at present being reviewed.
O'Connell Bridge House, D'Olier House — Fire drill is carried out; Dún Laoghaire, Newbridge, Bray, Arklow — No fire drill but there are separate exits and all staff are aware of these; Cork — Fire drill is carried out; Bantry, Mallow, Killarney, Tralee — No fire drill and there is only one door in each of these buildings; Waterford, Carlow, Dungarvan, Kilkenny, Clonmel, Wexford — No fire drill and no fire escapes in these offices apart from Wexford which has a back stairs; Galway — No fire drill and only one door; Ballina, Castlebar — No fire drill but good exits front and back; Sligo, Ballybofey, Dungloe, Letterkenny, Carrick-on-Shannon — No fire drill and no fire escapes, only one door in each building; Dundalk — Fire drill is carried out and there is an emergency exit; Drogheda, Cavan, Monaghan, Navan — No fire drill but there are second doors in each building, apart from Drogheda where there is only one door; Athlone, Portlaoise, Tullamore, Longford, Roscommon — Fire drill is carried out in each office and there are separate exits in each office. Each office has a fire officer; Limerick, 3rd Floor — Fire escape and stairs and lift, no fire drill; Ennis, Ground Floor — No fire escape, window, basement garden; Shannon, 1st Floor — 2 stairs; Nenagh, 1st Floor — Just 1 stair; Thurles, 1st Floor — Just 1 stair; Newcastle, 1st Floor — 2 stairs, 1 front, 1 back.
No fire drill in any office.