I propose to take Questions Nos. 112 to 114, inclusive, together.
Following the tragic loss of life in Carrickmines on 10 October 2015, my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) was tasked with leading a Programme to Review Fire Safety in Local Authority Provided Traveller Accommodation. The objective of the review was to ensure that practical and appropriate fire safety measures, which contribute to preventing loss of life and serious injury in local authority Traveller accommodation, have been applied systematically across the country. Along with appraising fire safety against relevant standards, this included running a series of community fire safety initiatives, including fire safety awareness training, aimed at Traveller Organisations and persons interfacing with the Traveller community so that awareness of fire risk and fire safety is developed and maintained over the longer term.
Consultation with all stakeholders at both national and local level was seen as essential to generate confidence in the review process. Accordingly, from the outset, the NDFEM engaged with key stakeholders at national level. A representative National Steering Group (NSG) was established by the NDFEM to oversee the review process and to offer support in addressing identified issues. The NSG was made up of relevant stakeholders including Traveller community representatives, national level and local government representatives and independent monitors.
The NDFEM wrote to Local Authority Chief Executives on 3 December 2015 requesting that they proceed to undertake the review in accordance with the approach outlined in a suite of support documentation. The Project Initiation Document envisaged that there would be local engagement with Traveller Community representatives in each local authority area to assist in undertaking the review and implementing Community Fire Safety, mirroring the National Steering Group role; this was the process agreed to enable Traveller organisations in individual local authority areas to input to the review. It was suggested that this could be achieved either through adding fire safety to the role of an existing Consultative Committee or by convening an ad-hoc group with appropriate membership for the purpose of this Review.
The Programme to Review Fire Safety in Local Authority Traveller Accommodation has concluded. Local Authorities submitted reports to the NDFEM detailing the work that was undertaken as part of the review. This information was collated by the NDFEM resulting in the generation of the Report on the Programme to Review and Enhance Fire Safety in Local Authority Provided Traveller Accommodation, published on 21 September 2016. A copy of the report is available on my Department’s website at:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/publications/files/report_on_review_of_fire_safety_in_local_authority_provided_traveller_accommodation.pdf.
This report describes fire safety work which has taken place in Local Authority provided Traveller accommodation across the country up to 1 July 2016. In addition to the physical works, the report describes a parallel programme of community fire safety which has been undertaken incorporating training for key workers and engagement with community groups on fire safety awareness.
Information regarding the fire safety appraisals and the remedial work undertaken as part of the review, as well as information regarding any further fire safety enhancements carried out since 1 July 2016 and the fire and safety training that has taken place in Traveller accommodation units or with Traveller organisations, can be obtained directly from the relevant local authorities; in this case, Galway County Council and Galway City Council.
