asked the Minister for the Environment if he will specify the statutory authorities who are responsible for safety and crowd control at sporting events; and if he is satisfied that existing standards of safety and crowd control for sporting events in Ireland are adequate.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Sporting Events: Safety Standards.
8.
While primary responisbility for ensuring the safety of people attending sporting events lies with the proprietors and management of the premises concerned, local authorities have statutory functions in regard to several aspects of the safety of buildings and other premises. Under the Fire Services Act, 1981, local authorities have wide powers to enforce fire safety requirements in respect of sports stadia. I have requested local authorities to ensure that their fire prevention programme makes provision for inspection of premises while in use, as this is the best means of ensuring that adequate fire safety requirements are complied with.
The construction of buildings is subject to building by-laws in certain local authority areas for the purpose of ensuring public health and safety in relation to structural stability. Building by-laws will be replaced by building regulations which will apply throughout the country as soon as possible after the enactment of the Building Control Bill, 1984. Where an existing building is dangerous, a local authority have wide powers under the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Act, 1964, to take action to make the building safe.
The question of violence and misbehaviour of spectators at sporting events is an operational question of law and order which is normally the subject of consultations between the Garda Síochána and the organisers in advance of the event for the purpose of determining the appropriate security measures. The Minister for Education has adopted a coordinating role in relation to the promotion of measures to combat violence and misbehaviour of spectators at sporting events and has been in communication with the major sporting organisations in relation to a recommendation made by the Council of Europe in this regard. The Council of Europe has also adopted a convention on measures to deal with spectator violence, particularly at football matches, and consideration is being given to the ratification of the Convention by Ireland and the legislative and other measures which will be necessary for its implementation.