Tommy Broughan (Dublin Bay North, Independent)
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32. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he is satisfied that local government is sufficiently monitoring fire safety in buildings around the country to ensure they are compliant with fire safety standards and requirements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52166/17]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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The Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003, provide the primary statutory basis for fire safety in Ireland. Under Section 18(2) of the Act, the statutory responsibility for fire safety in buildings of all kinds to which the legislation applies is placed on the “person having control” of the premises. 

In addition, the design and construction of buildings is regulated under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2014 and the primary responsibility for compliance with the requirements of the Building Regulations, including fire safety, rests with the designers, builders and owners of buildings.

Both the Fire Services and Building Control Acts provide a range of enabling powers to the local authorities, including a suite of enforcement powers.

Fire safety is achieved through the “Prevent, Protect, Respond” paradigm which is part of an overall fire risk management approach. Local authorities provide a range of services aimed at enhancing fire safety in their communities by preventing fires from happening in the first instance, and ensuring appropriate fire protection measures are in place in buildings, in addition to providing an operational response.

The fire prevention/ protection work falls into two categories known as Community Fire Safety and Technical Fire Safety. Community Fire Safety involves fire authorities working in partnership with relevant agencies and the community sector to provide safety measures such as domestic smoke alarms for those perceived as most vulnerable to fire in the home. It also includes the Primary Schools Program whereby every third class in primary school receives  age-appropriate education on fire safety issues. The shift of emphasis to Community Fire Safety is seen as contributing to the overall downward trend in fire fatalities which reached a 40 year record low in 2016. In relation to the Technical fire safety work, local authority fire services review and make recommendations in relation to applications for Fire Safety Certificates under Building Control legislation. They also provide the fire safety input under various licensing systems. They undertake inspection programmes in accordance with their established priorities (such as nursing homes) and they respond to complaints about fire safety in specific premises, using the various enforcement powers as appropriate. 

In April 2016, my Department published the report of the first External Validation process undertaken in relation to local authority fire services including fire safety, which was titled "Local Delivery - National Consistency". This report is available on my Department's website at the following link:

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In response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy in June this year and in recognition of fears expressed for fire safety, on 27 June 2017, my Department’s National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management was tasked with convening and coordinating a high-level Task Force to lead Ireland’s re-appraisal of fire safety. The Task Force is reviewing existing arrangements and systems for fire safety and related issues which impact on fire safety in Ireland. As it carries out its work, the Task Force is taking into account information and developments arising in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire. 

In addition to establishing the Task Force, local authorities were requested to undertake a number of initial actions and the Task Force was requested to oversee and report on a review of fire safety in both social housing and fire safety in medium to high rise buildings. This initial work has been carried out and all local authorities have reported back to my Department as requested. The Fire Safety Task Force  is analysing the returns received currently and is preparing an initial report which I expect to be submitted by early January 2018.