Mr. Eamon O'Boyle:

With regard to the points raised by Deputy Ó Broin, the problem is that all of the parts of buildings with legacy issues are interdependent. We know there are quite a few in existence with difficulties, and this can only really be determined by inspection, which is very laborious and will take time. There is a time period required for it to be addressed. It is a binary issue, either we have it or we do not, and this needs to be done. The points made on the consequences of not doing it have been dealt with by other speakers.

It is worth noting that there is a facility under the Fire Services Act for fire authorities to serve orders on people to undertake fire safety risk assessments where there are suspicions. Knowledge of where these buildings are, for example, apartments, is a factor. The committee's focus has been on housing, but it is important to remember that people also stay in hotels, hospitals and other buildings.

Regarding what Ms Ní Fhloinn and I stated, the building control management system, which is a computer portal for uploading documents relating to BCAR, is helpful. It would be useful if we had national standards in that regard and possessed a databank of inspections, faults and solutions so as to provide us with a way of dealing with these matters nationally. Mr. O'Reilly mentioned a difficulty with fire-stopping contractors, where the standards are set by industry groups rather than some other system. It would be useful if national standards, competences and skills were set. It is easy to install firestopping when there are standard sizes. It becomes more difficult when there are non-standard sizes and awkward places to get to.

I cannot argue with the point on the independence or vigilance of the one-stop-shop. Such an idea is a good one.

The Chairman made a point about a lack of skills. In terms of engineering, one university runs a postgraduate programme on fire safety, one institute of technology runs a degree programme on fire engineering and a masters programme is available in the North. A number of universities in the UK also provide that programme. At technician level within the building industry, Mr. O'Reilly mentioned how firestopping would be viewed as semi-skilled work, albeit important within the overall envelope of the building. There are skill shortages, so there must be training systems if people are to be able to execute firestopping properly. It is the most critical item that is not installed properly. A new fire detection alarm system can be installed retrospectively if it is not working. One can have an addressable system as opposed to a zoned one, which is the older type. If one does not have fire-stopping around windows and cavities, though, one will not realise that until it is too late.

Ireland has a legacy issue with fire safety and buildings. Powers exist to deal with that and they should be executed.