Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The existing requirements will apply. The working group will produce guidance if there are any changes. The fire safety officer will be involved in the process.

There will be no change until that working group brings forward recommendations for change. Members are concerned that there is a demolition of standards here but there is not. It all stays the same. If that working group puts forward some suggestions for certain properties based on the realisation that it is more difficult with certain properties, we will look at that. However, that is not on the table today. I am happy to discuss this with the committee when the working group reports. I have no problem with doing that because this is an area with which I am very concerned. It is very clear to me that people who own these properties say that it must be practical for them to bring them back into use. That is what the working group is examining. It is trying to determine if we can make changes while maintaining standards to allow such properties to be brought back into use. That is a slightly different conversation to the one we are having today about exemptions.

Senator Murnane O'Connor is in a different space today in terms of her questions. We are talking today about exemptions.