Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 310: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation if, in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, he will initiate a campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers to children of looped cord window blinds. [22456/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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In Ireland the National Consumer Agency (NCA) is responsible for product safety of non-food consumer products including window blinds. I am informed that the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs have no responsibility in relation to window blinds. The NCA has been actively working to promote consumer awareness of window blind cord safety over the past number of years. As part of this role the Agency has produced a brochure entitled 'Consumer Guide to the Safety of Window Blinds'. This brochure was prepared in cooperation with the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) and includes consumer tips in relation to what to look out for when buying new blinds as well as advice on how to minimise risks posed by blinds already installed in homes.

At the request of the Agency, copies of the brochure were sent to over 4,000 primary and secondary schools around the country as well as to regional Health Promotion Officers for general distribution. Copies were also sent to manufacturers and retailers of window blinds. This leaflet is available on the NCA's website: www.nca.ie. The Agency is currently updating this brochure and expects to publish it later in 2011. In addition, the Agency has been advocating for further revision, at EU level, to the relevant standard to eliminate the risk associated with window blinds. It has also been urging Irish manufacturers, suppliers and retailers to address the issue.

In relation to 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.

Work commenced 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 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.