Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if smoke alarms are a current requirement for houses rented from public funds; if not, if he intends to require such provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38909/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Minimum standards for rental accommodation are prescribed in the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations 2008, as amended by the Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) (Amendment) Regulations 2009, made under section 18 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1992.

These Regulations specify requirements in relation to a range of matters, such as structural repair, sanitary facilities, heating, fire safety and ventilation to name a few. With very limited exemptions, the Regulations apply to local authority and voluntary housing units as well as private rented residential accommodation.

Article 11 of the 2008 Regulations specifies the requirement for fire safety in rented accommodation. It states that, subject to certain provisions, the house must contain a fire blanket and either a mains-wired smoke alarm or at least two 10-year self-contained battery-operated smoke alarms.

The Housing (Standards for Rented Houses) Regulations, 2008 came into effect in their entirety for all new lettings on 1 February 2009, with certain articles, namely 6, 7, and 8, being phased in over a four year period for existing tenancies. All landlords have a legal obligation to ensure that their rented properties comply with these Regulations and the responsibility for the enforcement of the Regulations rests with the relevant local authority.