Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The horrific vision of fire tearing through the historic Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris last night is a reminder of the vulnerability of our built heritage. The roof of the cathedral, including oak beams of up to 1,000 years old, has been all but destroyed. In the light of the tragedy, are there plans for an audit of our built heritage, including places such as Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral, St. Patrick's Cathedral and similar structures across the country, to ensure they are equipped with the latest in fire protection systems? Are there detailed plans to respond to fires in such buildings? Is it a requirement for a fund to be made available to provide support to the private and public sectors to ensure that preventative measures are taken in advance of any such tragedy occurring here? This should be a wake-up call. I am interested in hearing the views of the Taoiseach on this matter.

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