asked the Minister for the Environment if and when he intends to publish the report of the internal investigation into the Bundoran Hotel fire tragedy in County Donegal.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Bundoran Hotel Fire.
4.
I am not clear as to what report the Deputy has in mind but he may be referring to a report prepared by the fire adviser of my Department at the request of the former Minister for State, Deputy Fahey, to enable him to consider the need for any further action. Having regard to the purpose for which this report was prepared and the necessarily limited investigation on which it was based, I consider that it would be undesirable to publish this report and do not propose to do so.
There were other reports. It would be a matter for Donegal County Council to decide whether the report of the acting chief fire officer should be published. As far as the reports of the Garda investigations are concerned, I am informed by my colleague, the Minister for Justice, that these were of course primarily concerned with the point of view of possible criminal liability and that such reports are never published.
The Minister will recall that when the Coalition were in Opposition there were numerous calls for the holding of a public inquiry into the tragedy at Bundoran. Is the Minister now prepared to publish the reports available to him, one from his own fire services adviser, and will he hold a public inquiry?
As I indicated in my reply, the report referred to is for departmental use only and in the normal way such reports are not published. With regard to the Deputy's request for a tribunal, that is under active consideration. As the Deputy is aware, it is hoped that the Committee Stage of the Fire Bill will be taken next week and section 16 will set up a Fire Service Council. I hope they will examine that tragedy rather than setting up a wide-scale tribunal which would be very costly. I believe a Fire Service Council would do the job adequately. I am pursuing another area because we do not want to set up costly tribunals every time a tragedy occurs.
Leaving aside the amendment to the Fire Bill being brought in next week and whether the amendment will be accepted, although I am in general agreement with it, the Minister spoke about tragedies that might happen in the future rather than something that happened last year. Is the Minister of State prepared to make public the information available in his Department and in the Donegal County Council and information available from Garda inquiries? This would help clear many nagging doubts about the Bundoran tragedy.
When a tribunal is set up all available relevant documents will be made available to them.
Will the Bundoran tragedy be referred to this new council or will only future incidents be referred?
I cannot give a firm commitment that it will be referred to them, but it will be examined and it could be one of the first items for them to be concerned with.
A final supplementary.
It is totally unsatisfactory from the public's point of view that 15 months later the Minister still refuses to say he will hold an inquiry into the incident. Last July he said the matter was under active consideration and he is still saying it today. Would the Minister clearly indicate that he will follow what we said we would do, that is, hold a public inquiry? Is it only a case of money? If so, is that not a very short-sighted policy on behalf of the Government?
Obviously the Deputy did not hear me. I said there would be some sort of investigation where all the relevant information would be supplied. Whether this investigation is carried out by the Fire Service Council or by another body is a matter that will be decided later.
Will the Minister——
I have allowed seven supplementaries. I am calling the next question.
May I be permitted——
On a point of order, in view of the fact that many close relatives of those who lost their lives in that tregedy are in my constituency, I would like to ask a supplementary question.
That is not a point of order, but I will allow the Deputy one supplementary.
Will the Minister make available to the next of kin, close relatives or legal advisers the documents in his possession dealing with the tragedy?
When a decision is taken to have the matter fully investigated, all the relevant documents will be made available.
On a point of order, is it in order that you should have allowed Deputy Nolan to ask a question after I had indicated but you refused me?
Deputy Nolan indicated first.
I beg to differ. I was on my feet and you then accepted his question.
He indicated earlier.
Since this is relevant to my constituency——
We will stretch a point and the Deputy may ask a further supplementary.
I am in agreement with what the Minister said——
Ask a question please.
The people of Bundoran require an immediate decision on this matter. In view of the fact that Bundoran at peak summer season caters for 25,000 people, can the Minister ensure that the fire-fighting services, the water supply and so on, will be adequate should a similar tragedy occur in the future?
That is purely a matter for the local authority. If a complaint is made to my Department about defective fire services or water supplies we will investigate the matter. No such complaint has been received.