Joe Jacob
Question:82 Mr. Jacob asked the Minister for the Environment whether his attention has been drawn to the structural fire safety technology that has been developed by an Irish company (details supplied); whether his attention has been further drawn to the fact that this technology has been tested by the IIRS and found to provide levels of protection in roof spaces that far exceed the levels afforded by building methods currently used by the construction industry; whether, having regard to the results of these tests, he will consider amending the building regulations in order to provide a standard that will eliminate the inadequacies of the current standards, particularly in view of the fact that such alterations would have a negligible impact on building costs if this new technology is incorporated at the initial construction stage; his views on whether the regulations should be amended to ensure that the materials used to seal imperfections at the top of the one hour wall separating properties on the vertical plane will also resist fire and the failure of structural integrity for at least one hour; whether he will give specific examples of the international literature referred to in his letter dated 29 May 1996 to Deputy Jacob upon which the technical guidance document of his Department is based; whether he has satisfied himself that the current building regulations meet their own intention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13878/96]
