Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 138: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if his attention has been drawn to the danger posed to young children from looped cord window blinds which have resulted in the deaths of children here and worldwide; if he will consider recommending restrictions on the sale of such blinds on health and safety grounds, up to and including an outright ban; if his attention has been drawn to any such restrictions in other States; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20446/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The EU's General Product Safety Directive (2001/95/EC), transposed into Irish law by S.I. No. 199 of 2004, places the onus on all operators, manufacturers, distributors, importers etc. to ensure that only safe products are placed on the market. If operators become aware that products on the market present a potential hazard they must take appropriate measures up to and including recall of the items, to ensure that the risk is removed. Any action taken by an operator must be notified to the relevant Market Surveillance Authority: in Ireland this is the National Consumer Agency (NCA).

On the specific issue of window blinds a new European standard has been in place since February 2009 which has been adopted as 'Irish standard I.S. EN13120 - Internal blinds – Performance requirements including safety". As well as specifying the requirement for the fitting of internal blinds, this standard deals with the construction, transport, installation, operation and maintenance of window blinds. If operators are compliant with the safety measures built into this European standard they would be regarded as meeting the safety requirements of the General Product Safety Directive and in these circumstances there would be no grounds for introducing a ban.

The NCA has produced a useful 'Consumer Guide to the Safety of Window Blinds' which includes advice on making blinds and curtains safe in order to minimise risk of accident as well as guidance on ensuring that blinds or curtains being purchased comply with the Irish standard I.S. EN13120. This leaflet is available on the NCA's website: www.nca.ie

Work was initiated by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) in 2010 to revise the European Standard EN 13120 in order to strengthen requirements in relation to risks of strangulation by young children. Ireland has actively participated in the working group responsible for this revision. More recently work has taken place to draw up a parallel support-standard relating specifically to the testing of such products. Both the revised standard EN 13120 and the new support-standard are expected to be published in 2012.

In order to take account of national concerns in this area it is proposed that a national standard, more comprehensive than the European standard, will be published late in 2011 on providing guidance for manufacturers and installers as well as consumers on safe window blind products. This standard will include other important guidance such as installation of corded window products and information on installation, including safety aspects, as well as training requirements for installers, manufacturers and sales representatives. To this end a committee has been established by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) comprised of representatives of the manufacturing and installation sectors as well as the NCA. A draft standard will be available for public consultation in the forthcoming weeks.