Thomas Gould (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I appreciate the opportunity to listen to the witnesses' knowledge and insight. There is an issue I am concerned about and I have been speaking to firefighters in Cork about it. The witnesses might give me their thoughts on derelict buildings. In the last couple of years, numerous derelict buildings in Cork have gone on fire repeatedly, on more than one occasion. I personally believe that the owners of these properties have a responsibility to ensure these properties are safe. Firefighters are going out and putting themselves in harm's way when these buildings should have been secured in the first place. That is not only when it comes to tackling fires but sometimes they might have to go in there when these buildings are unsafe. We had an issue in Cork on North Main Street where a building nearly collapsed. There were other buildings that did collapse. There have been a number of fires in places like the Good Shepherd Convent, which went up multiple times, St. Kevin's Hospital, Vita Cortex and the Sunset Ridge Motel. Firefighters had to go to fight fires at some of these properties, especially St. Kevin's, the Good Shepherd and the Sunset Ridge, numerous times. Is that something that happens in Dublin or nationally? Is there some recommendation that should be brought in to require the person or the company that owns these properties to ensure they are safe so they are not putting firefighters at risk?