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Fire Safety

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 March 2018

Tuesday, 27 March 2018

Ceisteanna (634, 635)

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

634. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the number of times the high-level task force to reappraise Ireland's response to fire safety standards announced in June 2017 met; the attendees at the meetings; the actions that have arisen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13890/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Barry Cowen

Ceist:

635. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the status of local authorities' response and actions arising from the review of multi-storey units in the social housing sector requested by him in June 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13891/18]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 634 and 635 together.

On 27 June 2017, in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy and in recognition of fears expressed in the context of fire safety, I tasked my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management with coordinating a high-level Task Force to lead a reappraisal of fire safety in Ireland. The Task Force was requested to oversee and report on a number of initial steps, and to urgently consider any potential life safety issues and appropriate responses. The work of the Task Force involves reviewing and reappraising existing arrangements and systems for fire safety and related issues which impact on fire safety in Ireland. As it carries out its work, the Task Force is considering information and developments arising from inquiries and reviews in the UK in relation to the Grenfell Tower fire.

The Task Force held its first meeting on 12 July 2017 and has met on 10 occasions in total. Its membership consists of the National Director for Fire and Emergency Management along with a number of senior officials from the National Directorate, the Building Standards Section and the Housing and Corporate Management Divisions of my Department, as well as representatives of the Office of Public Works, the Local Government Management Agency, two Chief Fire Officers, external fire safety consultants and a SIPTU representative.

In addition to establishing the Task Force, I requested that a number of immediate initial actions be taken. Local authorities were directed to undertake a review of fire safety in multi-storey social housing buildings and to also review fire safety in medium to high rise buildings in their functional areas. The Task Force was mandated to oversee and report on these initial actions as well as reviewing existing arrangements and systems for fire safety and related issues which impact on fire safety in Ireland.

This initial work in relation to both multi-storey social housing buildings and medium to high rise buildings has been carried out and all local authorities have reported back to my Department as requested. The Fire Safety Task Force established two sub-groups to review the returns received from local authorities. The returns indicate that multi-storey social housing buildings in Ireland are generally designed, built and equipped appropriately for domestic fire risk, although a number of fire safety issues were identified and followed up.

With regard to the review of medium to high rise buildings (greater than 6 stories or 18m high), more than 800 buildings were identified through the national survey undertaken. A number of these were identified as having external cladding which gave rise to concerns and in these cases building owners have been required by local authorities, using their powers under the Fire Services Acts, to undertake fire safety assessments in these specific buildings. National guidance on further actions in light of the results of these fire safety assessments, taking account of emerging information on the cladding issue from international sources, was prepared by the Task Force sub-group and a guidance note – "Fire safety Guidance Note 01 of 2017 Assessing Existing Cladding Systems in Buildings of More than Six Storeys, or More than 18m in Height" – was published by my Department in December 2017. The guidance note was circulated to fire authorities and placed on my Department’s website as a support for those undertaking assessments of cladding in medium to high rise building. The assessment process in individual buildings, and remediation work where deemed necessary in a small number of buildings, is ongoing and in some cases is expected to take a number of months to complete.

The preparation of the report of the Task Force has been impacted by a number of recent severe weather events, including ex-Hurricane Ophelia and the blizzard conditions and heavy snow arising from Storm Emma, which required temporary re-prioritising of the National Directorate’s resources. However, the work of the Task Force has now advanced significantly and I expect to be provided with the report by the end of April 2018, which I will consider without delay.

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