Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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197. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of fire incidents across the State, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26216/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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198. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of fire incidents in buildings 11 metres or higher across the State, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26217/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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208. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of deaths attributed to fire across the State, by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26227/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.

There has been a welcome downward trend in the incidence of fire, with the fire fatality rate per million of population, using a three year average, currently at 3.9 deaths per million of population. While each death is one too many, this figure is a third of what it was twenty years ago when it stood at 12.9 deaths per million of population. That level of fire fatalities positions Ireland among countries with very low fire fatality rates.

The number of fire fatalities recorded in Ireland in 2023 was 17 and the number recorded so far this year is 10.

While data in respect of buildings over 11 metres is not available in my Department, a significant range of fire safety statistics collected by my Department are available at the following link, where 2023 statistics will be made available shortly:

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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199. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a fire safety audit of all buildings above 11 metres has been conducted; if so, the methodology used in the audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26218/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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200. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if a fire safety audit of public buildings hospitals, schools, civic buildings, sports stadiums, and so on above 11 metres has been conducted; if so, the methodology used in the audit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26219/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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201. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of buildings 11 metres or above across the State, by county, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26220/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 199, 200 and 201 together.

Under Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 & 2003, there is a standing obligation on the “person having control” of the premises to ensure appropriate measures for fire safety are in place at all times. In addition, the design and construction of buildings is regulated under the Building Control Acts 1990 to 2020 with the primary responsibility for compliance to all aspects of the Building Regulations, including fire safety, resting with the designers, builders and owners of buildings.

The person having control of a building is legally required to make provision for fire safety on the premises. The person having control should ensure at all times that necessary reasonable fire safety measures and procedures are in place. If the person having control of a building requires advice with respect to fire safety systems, they should engage the relevant competent persons. My Department has published guidance for persons with obligations under Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Act 1981 which is available at:

The local fire authority may give advice in relation to fire safety to the owner or occupier of any premises or to any person having control over any premises.

Where necessary, a full fire safety assessment of the provisions for fire safety in the premises may be required. Guidance on fire safety assessment and suitable qualifications for those engaged by the person having control to carry out such an assessment is available in the “Code of Practice for fire Safety Assessment of Premises and Buildings” published by this Department – available here:

Inspection and enforcement of the provisions of the Fire Services Act and Building Regulations are functions of the 31 local authorities, who have a suite of enabling and enforcement powers under both legislative codes.

Regarding the request for the number of buildings 11 metres or above, my Department does not hold the requested information, which may be available from individual local authorities.

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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202. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to amend the fire safety part B regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26221/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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203. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the proportion of buildings 11 metres or above that have utilised any alternative routes to compliance with the part B fire safety regulations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26222/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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204. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will remove any alternative routes to compliance with the part B fire safety regulations (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26223/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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205. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will remove the class 0 classification from the part B fire safety regulations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26224/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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206. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ban combustible materials on the façade of buildings 11 metres or above; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26225/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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207. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will ban combustible materials on the roof of buildings 11 metres or above; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26226/24]

Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail)
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209. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of buildings 11 metres or above across the State, by county, that are in breach of the fire safety regulations, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26228/24]

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207 and 209 together.

The Building Regulations set out minimum standards for the design and construction of buildings and works to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings. They 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.

Following the completion of a comprehensive review of Part B of the Building Regulations dealing with fire safety, I signed the Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations 2024 on 26 March 2024. These Regulations amend Part B (Fire Safety) of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations 1997 to update fire safety requirements for buildings other than dwelling houses and apply from 1 May 2025 subject to the transitional arrangements cited. To accompany the Regulations, I have published Technical Guidance Document B 2024 – Fire Safety - Volume 1: Buildings other than dwelling houses (TGD B 2024) on my Department’s website.

As part of the Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) Regulations 2024 and the associated TGD B 2024, the provisions relating to fire safety in buildings has been strengthened. In response to the question regarding classifications, the Class 0 fire safety classification has been removed for all new buildings, extensions, and new materials added to buildings. In addition, the provisions relating to external fire spread on façades for buildings greater than 15m to the topmost floor have been strengthened. The façade must be composed throughout of materials that meet a Class A2-s3,d2 material, or have passed a full scale test. Fire classifications for roofs have also been updated, with performance now aligned to the European classification method. Article 7(3) of the Building Regulations permits the application of alternative approaches, provided that the requirements of the Building Regulations (in this case, Part B4) has been met. In this regard, my Department has published an Information Note on Alternative Approaches to Demonstrate Compliance with the Building Regulations, which is available on my Department’s website.

In regard to the number of buildings 11 metres or above across the State that are in breach of the fire safety regulations, enforcement of the Building Regulations is delegated under the Building Control Acts 1990 – 2020 to the local building control authorities (i.e. the 31 local authorities) who are independent in the exercise of their statutory powers.