Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 7 Dec 1993

Vol. 436 No. 7

Written Answers. - Quality Management Systems Standards.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

124 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment if a company which constantly emits smells and noise ignores the legitimate complaints of local residents, and which has a regular rat problem could possibly be considered for an OS 9000 quality control number; if he will make a statement on the way in which this sort of problem would be taken into account when such a number is applied for; and the person responsible for making the decision on such a quality number.

Minister for Enteprise and Employment (Mr. Quinn)

I assume that the Deputy is referring to the ISO 9000 series of Quality Management Systems Standards.

The National Standards Authority of Ireland, who have registered 850 Irish firms to these standards, have assured me that the registration process for the ISO 9000 standards is very comprehensive. It involves detailed examination of a firm's activities, including hygiene and environmental aspects such as noise emission, rodent control etc. Central to the registration process is the recording of customer and other complaints and corrective action taken. Any firm not in compliance with hygiene, environmental and other requirements would not be eligible for registration to ISO 9000; a registered firm found to be in breach of the requirements would have their registration revoked.