Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Tuesday, 14 October 2025
Joint Oireachtas Committee on Housing, Local Government and Heritage
Multiple Unit Developments: Discussion
2:00 am
Mr. Pat Montague:
That would not be unique. For instance, one of the largest apartment developments that is known to have fire safety issues is Beacon South Quarter, which has 1,000 units. That is a matter of public record. It has had fire wardens for some time. It provides what is called the waking watch, which means that, during the night, there is somebody there to organise and help evacuate people, if something kicks off, but also to marshal the troops, so to speak. This is a widespread issue. The Deputy has seized upon one of the challenges we have faced. To be frank, it is only by the grace of God that we have not had serious injuries or fatalities. That is my perspective on this. It is only by the grace of God. We have a chance. We need to plough on, cut through the problems and deliver the fire safety remediation works quickly.