Parliamentary question addressed to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if consideration has been given to requiring owners of public buildings and in particular hotels to provide fire alerting systems for deaf persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter?

Reply

Under the Fire Services Act 1981 and 2003, fire safety and fire prevention measures in public buildings, including hotels, are the responsibility of the person having control of the premises. Section 18(2) of the Act places a duty on persons, having control of a building to which the Act applies, to take all reasonable measures to guard against the outbreak of fire, to provide reasonable fire safety measures for such premises and to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the safety of those using the premises in the event of fire.
To assist the person in control in discharging their statutory duty, my Department published Fire Safety in Guest Accommodation (2001) which is available on my Department’s website at www.environ.ie. This guide sets out the fire safety measures and procedures which should be considered, including recommendations for fire alarm systems.
Fire alarm systems in public buildings, including the provision of visual alarm systems, are also dealt with in the recommendations of Irish Standard I.S. 3218: 2009. This standard, published by the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI), makes detailed recommendations for planning, design, installation, commissioning, and servicing of fire detection and alarm systems in buildings. Paragraph 5.6.7.1 of the Standard states that in areas where a normal type of sounder may be ineffective, e.g. where the occupants are hearing impaired or may be sleeping, visual alarms and tactile alarm devices should be used.
Fire safety in the design and construction of new buildings, including hotels, is governed by Part B of the 1997 €“ 2008 Building Regulations, made under the Building Control Act 1990. Primary responsibility for compliance with the Building Regulations rests with the builders and owners of buildings. Guidance on how to comply with Part B is set out in Technical Guidance Document B (TGD-B) published by my Department. Paragraph 1.4.14 of TGD-B deals with requirements in relation to fire detection and alarm systems, including reference to the relevant I.S. as mentioned above.
My Department is currently engaged in a review of TGD-B, in which the issue of fire alarm systems will be further considered.