Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 May 2017
314. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of fire safety inspections that have been carried out in Dublin Castle, the State apartments, conference centre and castle hall; the number of fire regulation breaches which have been identified for each year from 2000 to 2016 and to date in 2017; the nature of the fire regulation breach; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22827/17]
View answerNumber of Fire Safety Inspections carried out at Dublin Castle in State Apartments, Conference Centre and Castle Hall:
Fire safety inspections are carried out on a regular basis by Architectural, Engineering and Fire Safety officials of the Office of Public Works to ensure that Dublin Castle meets with fire safety regulations. A regular programme of works is in place to upgrade fire safety as required throughout the Castle.
|
By whom |
Year |
No. |
|
Local Authority Fire Officer |
2010, 2017 |
2 |
|
External Fire Engineers consultants |
2012, 2013, 2014 State Apartments, Conference Centre and Castle Hall |
4 |
|
OPW internal Fire and Security Section together with Heritage Services |
2015 (revised in 2016 State Apartments, Conference Centre and Castle Hall |
1 |
|
OPW technical officials |
2012 to 2017 covering State Apartments, Conference Centre and Castle Hall |
Ongoing and regular |
Nature of fire regulation breaches identified in 2012:
External Fire Engineering consultants reports 2012, 2013 and 2014 identified certain shortcomings. Other items requiring attention have been identified in the context of OPW in house fire safety policies. It is planned to address all such limitations as soon as possible.
A local authority inspection in 2017 identified that some fire doors were wedged open in the course of an event on the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. The practice of wedging open doors has been discontinued.
