I understand that Kildare County Council is liaising with the Millfield Hawthorns Representative Group on an ongoing basis in an effort to be of support and assistance to residents at this difficult time. Minister Kelly attended a meeting with the Millfield Hawthorns Representative Group on 25 May 2015 and heard at first hand the issues and concerns involved in this complex matter. The issues raised at that meeting are now under active consideration within the Department and I understand that Minister Kelly will be responding to the residents very shortly. My Department will also continue to liaise closely with Kildare County Council in relation to the situation at Millfield Manor.
In relation to the situation more generally in other developments, the position is that local authorities have considerable powers under the Building Control Acts, the Fire Services Acts and other relevant legislation to deal with concerns in relation to the safety of persons in and around buildings. Such powers have been used to good effect by a number of local authorities in recent years in dealing with several serious fire safety issues which have arisen in relation to particular residential developments. I would urge all local authorities to use the powers available to them to take whatever steps may be reasonable and appropriate where such concerns in relation to fire safety in residential buildings arise.
