Batt O'Keeffe (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)

Deputy Crowe is correct that the current building regulations do not require the installation of fire doors in ordinary one and two storey houses. Most doors can contain smoke to a certain level and, when combined with a smoke alarm, will provide a degree of fire safety. However, even where fire alarms are installed, 30% are not working. We are trying to send a message to people not only with regard to the necessity of installing fire alarms but also to ensure the alarm batteries are not dead.

In themselves, fire doors can cause significant problems for children and people with impaired mobility because they are heavy and difficult to open. Self-closing doors have the potential to cause injuries by shutting on people. Where fire doors are required, such as in nursing homes, they can give rise to a number of problems for residents. In many cases, doors are held open by magnetic devices and only close when a fire alarm is triggered. We will consider the issue in the context of ongoing review of the building regulations, the first stage of which has been completed.

See this speech in context