Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
2692. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government the public health role of the chief executive of a local authority in a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33729/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPolicy responsibility for environmental health matters rests with the Department of Health. That Department has advised that, under the applicable legislation, responsibility for keeping land or property rodent free lies with the owner or occupier of the land or property. In the case of the details supplied, the role of the chief executive of a local authority would be to ensure that the local authority, as owner or occupier of property, is in compliance with the law.
If an authorised officer of the HSE is of the opinion that the occupier of any land has failed to take such steps as are required, a notice may be served on the occupier requiring him to take the steps prescribed in the notice within a specified timeframe or the HSE may enter the land and take the steps that are necessary and reasonably practicable for the purpose of destroying the rats and mice on the land or of preventing the land from becoming infested with rats and mice, and may recover any reasonable expenses incurred from the occupier as a civil debt.
