David Cullinane (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister to the House. I commend Senator Quinn for again introducing important, practical legislation which can add value and save lives. It is one of a number of Bills he has succeeded in getting through the House and he deserves credit for doing so. It is refreshing and welcome that the Government will accept the legislation because we have been critical in the past of the lack of support for Bills tabled by Opposition Members, including Senator Quinn's upward-only rents Bill. If a Bill is brought forward in good faith and it will improve circumstances, it can be amended on Committee Stage if the Government feels there are problems with it. The Minister indicated he may well have to table amendments but that is also welcome because it will improve the legislation and perfect it. This is a good exercise in democracy and another good day for the Seanad as the Government accepts a Bill from one of its Members.

It is important that we address the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning. If we can put in place legislation that compels developers, home owners and so on to install carbon monoxide alarms and only one life is saved, it will be worth it. Last month, a gas fitter in Derry was sentenced to prison for negligence in a tragic case in which, unfortunately, two men died from carbon monoxide poisoning in 2010. These cases are rare but they happen and, therefore, we have a responsibility to do what we can as legislators to make sure we can prevent as best we can such tragic deaths. Like Senator Quinn, I welcome Honor Heffernan to the Visitors Gallery.

Deaths from carbon monoxide poisoning in the home are, thankfully, rare in this State, averaging one or two each year, but people who are poisoned and survive experience long-term impacts on their health. While it is tragic when people die, it is also tragic when people end up with illnesses as a result of such poisoning. Smoke alarms are statutorily required in all buildings, including homes, and everybody accepts that they have saved lives not only in Ireland but in all states. They make perfect sense and many people are alive today in this State and others because of them. Unfortunately, we do not always make sure that they work. Very often batteries are not replaced and that has caused problems. Such alarms need to be serviced and maintained to make sure they are working.

There have been many instances in which smoke alarms have saved lives. Carbon monoxide alarms, if present, would also save lives. Legislation needs to be introduced to require the installation of carbon monoxide alarms when building, selling or leasing a dwelling. The alarms are available to buy in the State and cost in the region of €30. The price, therefore, is by no means excessive. The alarms are very affordable. Thirty euro for a carbon monoxide alarm is very small money in the context of all the costs associated with buying and moving into a home. Installation should be made mandatory.

It could be and has been argued that recent energy efficiency schemes should make mandatory the installation of carbon monoxide alarms. This would provide a modest economic boost in addition to addressing the health and safety concerns that have been articulated by Senator Quinn. Carbon monoxide alarms are made in this State, are easy to install and do not require a connection to an electricity circuit. Therefore, there is no real impediment; it is just a matter of our passing this legislation and making installation mandatory. It should happen as a matter of course, as with fire alarms. There should be a carbon monoxide alarm in every home. There are no significant practical or technical issues that could be cited as an excuse for not making carbon monoxide alarms mandatory, as proposed in the legislation. If the alarms were in place, they would save lives.

In Baltimore County in the United States, legislation was passed in 2010 that required all rental properties to have carbon monoxide alarms installed. At the time, there was a series of deaths in that county from carbon monoxide poisoning. Since the legislation was passed, there have been no deaths from it. This is proof that what is proposed works. Other regions in the United States , including New York, Alaska, Colorado and California, have passed similar legislation, and there have been similar reductions in carbon monoxide-related deaths and illnesses.

There is not much more to be said. This is very straightforward. I commend Senator Quinn on introducing the legislation, being very practical and doing something that will be very worthwhile for all of us in this State. I thank the Minister for his generosity in accepting the legislation. I hope it will eventually be passed and that we will not see it shelved for months or a year. I hope we can make progress on it as quickly as possible. I believe it has the support of all Members in both Houses, and I will certainly be supporting it.