Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees

Tuesday, 21 May 2024

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government

Building Regulations (Fire Safety): Discussion

Mr. Eoin O'Dowd:

That is an interesting question. First and foremost, the production of toxic products as part of a fire is a function down to fire dynamics – the function of what is burning in the materials of the room and the building, but also how it is burning and the availability of oxygen. As part of our building regulations, we have a comprehensive layering of protection systems in place and the provision of what can be termed as perhaps one of the most complex and comprehensive requirements for early detection and a warning to facilitate means of escape out of our buildings. In limited reaction to fire, we have our lining materials, our compartmentation requirements and ventilation in our residential buildings. There are the combustibility provisions that currently exist in the guidance document and that through the 2024 amendments come into effect for the tall buildings, or buildings with a topmost floor height above 15 m. In addition to that, there are other provisions contained within the technical guidance document to support the important objectives of fire safety, such as the suppression systems that seek to control fire growth. There is-----