Vol. 550 No. 1
47 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if his Department issued instructions to local authorities outlining certain conditions which should be in place for the construction of private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5695/02]
The national building regulations apply inter alia to the construction, material alteration, or extension of any private nursing home which commenced on or after 1 June 1992. In 1997, my Department issued updated and comprehensive technical guidance documents on compliance with the regulations for the benefit of the general public, the building industry and the building control authorities. A set of these documents has also been placed in the Oireachtas Library.
Compliance with the regulations is primarily the responsibility of the designer, builder, and owner of the private nursing home. Any complaints about non-compliance with the building code should be made to the local building control authority, which is responsible for enforcement of the regulations.
My Department has separately published, for the benefit of existing and prospective nursing homes, a Guide to Fire Safety in Nursing Homes (1996). This document, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, contains advice and guidance in relation to a range of fire safety issues, including fire safety management, means of escape and structural fire precautions.
