asked the Minister for Industry, Commerce and Energy if he is aware that the use of the term "nonflammable" increases the risk of fire when used instead of the original term "non-combustible" in electrical safety regulations, and if so, if he will request the AECTI to delete the term "nonflammable" where it occurs in the regulations and substitute "noncombustible" therefor.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Electrical Safety Regulations.
7.
The term "non-flammable" does not appear in any of the regulations relating to electrical safety standards for which my Department is directly responsible.
I take it, however, that in this instance the "electrical safety regulations" the Deputy has in mind are the guidelines on electrical wiring published by the Electro Technical Council of Ireland (ETCI) and referred to as "National Rules for Electrical Installations". The Electro-Technical Council of Ireland, whose technical competence I fully accept, do not consider that the cause of safety would be served by the substitution in their rules of the term "noncombustible" for the currently accepted term "non-flammable".
I am quite satisfied with the Minister's answer. I merely wanted to know if she had any reason to believe that the substitution of the words now used would constitute any improvement. It would seem to me to be a disimprovement, but if the Minister of State is satisfied——
The Council have said that they feel it would not be an improvement.
But I asked the Minister of State if she was satisfied?
I said I fully accept their technical competence.