Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 12 July 2018
758. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of actions taken on foot of the publication of a report into fire damage at an estate (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32399/18]
View answerIn July 2015, it was agreed that a review be undertaken by an independent fire expert to develop a framework for general application, in the interest of supporting owners and residents living in developments where concerns regarding non-compliance with fire safety requirements arise.
In August 2017, the 'Framework for Enhancing Fire Safety in Dwellings Where Concerns Arise' was published. The framework contains the following:
- an explanation of the statutory provisions in respect of fire safety, namely the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014 and the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003, and the respective responsibilities of owners, designers, builders, occupants, local authorities;
- a range of actions that may reduce risk and improve the level of fire safety where deficiencies arise in dwelling houses, apartments and /or the common areas of apartment buildings; and
- a fire risk assessment methodology for professional advisors to prioritise the remedial actions, if any, that may need to be carried out on a dwelling.
The framework is intended to be used as a guide by the owners and occupants of dwellings where fire safety deficiencies have been identified, or are a cause for concern. In addition to owners and occupants, the framework will also be of assistance to professional advisors both in developing strategies to improve fire safety and in developing strategies to enable the continued occupation in advance of undertaking the necessary works to ensure compliance with the relevant Building Regulations. The framework is available on my Department's website at the following link.
Additionally, in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June 2017, and in recognition of fears expressed for fire safety, I asked my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management to convene and coordinate a Task Force to lead a re-appraisal of our approach to fire safety in Ireland. The work of the Task Force has now been completed and its findings are reflected in “Fire Safety in Ireland: Report of the Fire Safety Task Force”, which is available on my Department's website at the following link.
The Management Board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management have now been mandated to oversee the implementation of the report's recommendations.
In addition and in response to the many building failures that emerged in the last decade, my Department has been advancing a building control reform agenda in order to develop and promote a culture of competence, good practice and compliance with the building regulations in the construction sector. This agenda includes:
- the introduction of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2014, which require greater accountability in relation to compliance with Building Regulations in the form of statutory certification;
- working closely with the Local Government Management Agency on the oversight and governance of the local authority Building Control System to improve its effectiveness; and
- progressing primary legislation, the Building Control (Construction Industry Register Ireland) Bill 2017.
