Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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227. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he has requested fire safety examinations of all higher residential, commercial and public buildings in each local authority and fire brigade operational area here following the recent horrific and tragic loss of life at the Grenfell apartments in Kensington, London; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29308/17]

Martin Heydon (Kildare South, Fine Gael)
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230. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position regarding the review by an independent fire expert into a fire at Millfield, Newbridge, and other issues in view of ongoing concern from residents in the development and in further view of the recent fire tragedy in London and the review by local authorities of multi-storey developments [29371/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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231. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the steps he has taken since the tragic fire at Grenfell, London, to ensure that no social housing here is at risk of fire from the use of combustible materials used in construction or refurbishment. [29374/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 230 and 231 together.

Local Authorities across the State already monitor fire safety measures in their multi-storey social housing flats and apartments, under their statutory obligations, and considerable work is already being done in respect of maintaining standards in relation to fire safety generally, with no known immediate cause for concern.

I met with Dublin’s Chief Fire Officer last Friday, 16 June, to discuss fire safety and life safety issues in light of the London tragedy.  I also requested that the management board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) convene and assess the readiness of the fire authorities to respond to emergencies. In response to this request, the NDFEM Board has confirmed to me that the recent report of the Directorate’s External Validation group found that the public are well served by the developed arrangements in place for fire services in Ireland, and concluded that the available evidence provides for confidence regarding the capability of fire services to respond to emergencies.

Each local authority has been requested, as a matter of urgency, to review their multi-storey social housing units to ensure that all early warning systems, including alarm and detection systems and means of escape including corridors, stairways and emergency exits are fully functional and in place. Life safety must be our first concern. 

In terms of raising awareness across landlords, including landlords of households in receipt of social housing supports and rental assistance, the Residential Tenancies Board has been asked to notify all landlords of their responsibilities and obligations as landlords in terms of ensuring that their properties fully comply with fire safety requirements. The RTB is coordinating with Local Authority Fire Departments, who are responsible for ensuring compliance, and the National Directorate Fire and Emergency Management to provide detailed information directly and individually to all landlords in the coming days. The RTB is also placing notices to this effect on its website and in the press.

In order to remind builders, assigned certifiers, designers and owners of their obligations in relation to compliance with the Building Regulations, a notification has issued to all registered users (approx. 57,000) through the Building Control Management System (BCMS).

In July 2015, the then Minister directed that a review be undertaken by an independent fire expert to develop a framework for general application, in the interest of supporting owners and residents living in developments where concerns regarding non-compliance with fire safety requirements arise.  A steering group was convened to oversee the review. The independent fire safety expert has completed his review and a report on the matter has been received by my Department. The report remains under consideration pending clarification of a number of issues at which point it is intended that the arrangements necessary for publication will be made.

Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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228. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will ensure that sprinkler systems are installed in all higher residential and commercial buildings here and immediately report to Dáil Éireann on the safety of the cladding materials used in all insulation programmes for homes here; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29309/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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232. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will conduct a review of the increased use of combustible materials in house construction and, if necessary, update fire safety regulations and building regulations. [29375/17]

Eoin Ó Broin (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein)
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233. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the level of combustible materials being used in all new social housing construction including standard build, refurbishment, rapid build and hubs; and if he is satisfied that the use of such materials does not in any way compromise fire safety in these units. [29376/17]

Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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234. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if cladding (details supplied) can be used in low rise or high rise buildings here under current building regulations; if his Department tracks through the building control management system the use of such cladding materials; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact if it has been used in buildings here. [29418/17]

Eoghan Murphy (Dublin Bay South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 232 to 234, inclusive, together.

The aim of the building regulations is to provide for the safety and welfare of people in and about buildings. The building regulations apply to the design and construction of a building or to an extension or material alteration of a building. The minimum performance requirements that a building must achieve are set out in the second schedule to the building regulations. These requirements are set out in 12 parts classified as Parts A to M.

Technical Guidance Documents (TGDs) provide technical guidance on how to comply with the building regulations in practical terms. TGD B contains guidance, compliance with which will, prima facie, indicate compliance with Part B. The building regulations are subject to ongoing review in the interests of safety and the well-being of persons in the built environment and to ensure that due regard is taken of changes in construction techniques, technological progress and innovation. Part B/TGD B is currently under review and is being split into 2 volumes. Part B/TGD B - Fire Safety - Volume 2 - Dwelling Houses 2017 was published earlier this year and comes into effect on 1 July 2017. Volume 1 is being prepared for public consultation.

TGD B provides guidance on external wall construction in relation to internal and external fire spread, and also refers to other publications for further advice. 

Under Part D of the building regulations, Materials and Workmanship, there is an overarching requirement that all works should be carried out using “proper materials...which are fit for the use for which they are intended and for the conditions in which they are to be used” to ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements as prescribed.

Where innovative products are used, third party certification, such as Agrément Certification is a means of demonstrating how products or systems can meet the requirements of the building regulations, including Part B. Care should be taken to read the terms and conditions of such certification and ensure that the content of the certification is strictly adhered to during construction, in conjunction with the Fire Safety Certificate where relevant.

While it has yet to be definitively confirmed what type of cladding was used in the renovation of Grenfell Tower, the United Kingdom Department of Communities and Local Government has confirmed that Cladding using a composite aluminium panel with a polyethylene core would be non-compliant with current Building Regulations guidance as this material should not be used as cladding on buildings over 18m in height. I can confirm that the same restrictions apply under Irish Building Regulations.

Currently, the Building Regulations do not require provision of sprinklers in all residential and commercial buildings. Provision of sprinklers may arise as a requirement where certain design features are included in buildings, such as phased evacuation in some high rise buildings with floors over 30m above ground level, or as an optional additional feature to facilitate certain building configurations.  It is important to note that the building regulations place particular emphasis on adequate means of escape in the case of fire.

The purpose of the Building Control Management System (BCMS) is to facilitate building control authorities, building owners, builders and construction professionals in discharging their separate responsibilities under the Building Control Act 1990. The system provides a common platform for clear and consistent administration of building control matters across the local authority sector through facilitating the receipt and lodgement of commencement notices, statutory certificates and compliance documentation in line with the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations.