Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for allowing me the opportunity to raise this serious issue. Inspections of apartment complexes should be made on a regular basis to ensure they meet fire safety standards.

At 4.30 a.m. last Saturday, a fire broke out in an apartment block on Main Street, Clongriffin, Dublin 13, in my constituency. The fire is believed to have been started by mindless thugs who threw bangers into an industrial bin in the apartment's car park. It is shocking that no fire alarm went off in the apartment complex. If it was not for the fact that several residents returning home at the time noticed smoke and alerted the other occupants of the complex, the outcome could have been far worse. The fire brigade encountered difficulties in entering the complex because a code was required to unlock the gate. It is unacceptable that the fire brigade is not given codes to enter apartment complexes.

I have been informed that the complex contains no fire extinguishers or fire fighting equipment and that the fire alarms were not working properly at the time of the fire. Having visited the location to see the damage first-hand, I can confirm the incident was a near miss. The outcome could have been tragic and I would be failing in my responsibilities as a Deputy if I did not raise this serious issue. In the aftermath of the fire, I wrote to the manager of Dublin City Council to inquire into the circumstances surrounding the fire.

I call on the Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government to instruct local authorities to send fire inspectors to apartment complexes on a quarterly basis, at the minimum, to ensure the law is not being breached. Heavy fines should be imposed on rogue management companies and agents which neglect their duties regarding fire safety. Inspectors must ensure that all apartment complexes have adequate fire safety procedures in place and that fire drills take place on a regular basis. Residents of the Clongriffin complex report that they never went through a fire drill in the two years they have lived there.

I ask that legislation be drafted to set out the responsibilities of management companies in respect of fire safety. It should be a legal requirement that apartments cannot be occupied until a fire officer has inspected the premises. Exactly one year ago, Dublin City Council produced a report entitled Successful Apartment Living. One of the most damning findings of this report was that 75% of private apartment complexes did not have proper fire safety provisions. This is a frightening revelation given the number of people who live in apartment complexes. What action has been taken by the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government on the findings of this report? Have other local authorities carried out inspections to reassure public representatives that fire safety standards are not being breached?

The fire that occurred in Clongriffin is a wake up call to the Government. Approximately 500,000 people reside in apartments managed by approximately 4,600 management companies in Ireland, yet there is no legislation governing them. We want the Government to make these companies responsible for fire safety. The legislation is too loose at present and nobody is taking responsibility for this issue. I want an assurance that local authorities will take the issue more seriously by assigning sufficient staff so that regular inspections can be conducted.

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