Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 249: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will review the guidelines for the construction of local authority housing that permit tenants to live in council apartments with steep concrete stairs and no fire escape provision; and if he is satisfied that all apartments in local authority ownership are compliant with health and safety requirements. [14218/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Building Regulations 1997 – 2010 provide for the health, safety and welfare of persons in and around buildings and set out the legal requirements for the design and construction of new buildings, including houses, extensions and material alterations and certain changes of use to existing buildings. The related Technical Guidance Documents provide technical guidance on how to achieve compliance with the Regulations. All buildings, including local authority housing, must comply with the Building Regulations that are in force at the time of their construction. The Regulations are continuously updated to ensure that they remain in line with best practice.

Part B (Fire Safety) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations sets out the legal requirements for dealing with the means of escape in the case of fire in buildings, Part B 1 states: "A building shall be so designed and constructed that there are adequate means of escape in case of fire from the building to a place of safety outside the building, capable of being safely and effectively used".

Part K of the Building Regulations 1997 sets out the legal requirements in respect of Stairways, Ladders, Ramps and Guards in buildings. It covers issues such as safe passage for users of the building, protection from falling from floors, balconies and roofs.

Part M of the Building Regulations 2010 requires adequate provision to be made for people regarding access and use to a building, its facilities and its environs. These regulations were signed in November 2010 and, in general, the regulations apply to works which will commence on or after 1 January 2012 subject to certain transitional arrangements.

Compliance with the Regulations is the responsibility of the owner or builder of a building and in the case of social housing the local authority itself.

My Department has also provided additional guidance to local authorities in the form of Quality Housing for Sustainable Communities Design Guidelines. The aim of these Guidelines is to identify principles and criteria that are important in the design of housing and cover such issues as energy efficiency, environmental protection, access for people with disabilities, meeting varied needs of occupants through their lifetime, durability and continued performance of buildings.

In addition, my Department is committed to ensuring that the existing stock of 130,000 social houses is maintained and improved to the highest standard possible. To deliver on this objective, local authorities receive exchequer funding to undertake a wide range of improvement works, from works to adapt individual units to meet the needs of a particular household to broad programmes to improve the energy efficiency of units in estates across the country. Furthermore, my Department also funds regeneration and remedial works programme under which housing in the public realm is improved for the benefit of the communities living there. In 2011, I have made over €200 million available to local authorities to undertake this important work.

Eamonn Maloney (Dublin South West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 250: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the commencement order has been signed in respect of the local authority tenant purchase scheme for apartments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14284/11]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

My Department has been working for some time on the necessary statutory provisions to enable the tenant purchase scheme for local authority apartments under Part 4 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2009 to be given effect as soon as possible. I am committed to maximising the potential for tenant purchase in the context of the implementation of sustainable communities policies and measures.