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Dáil
‹ Questions on Promised Legislation

Milford Manor fire safety review

Summary

Mary Lou McDonald asks when the promised independent review into non-compliant fire safety in housing developments, including Milford Manor, will be published. The Taoiseach says the report is with the Attorney General for review and possible redaction, so no publication date is yet available.

In March 2015, six houses at Milford Manor, Newbridge, County Kildare, were destroyed by fire in less than an hour. A subsequent engineer's report commissioned by the residents detailed serious shortfalls in building and fire safety standards. In the aftermath, the then Minister, Deputy Kelly, announced that an independent review would be undertaken to support owners and residents living in developments where there is non-compliance with fire safety requirements.

Last week, the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, confirmed in reply to a parliamentary question from an Teachta Ó Broin that an independent fire safety expert has completed his review and that a report on the matter has been received by the Department. If this independent report is ready, why is the Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government sitting on its content? In the aftermath of the tragic fire in Grenfell Tower, the public has a right to know if this State's building standards and fire compliance regime are up to scratch. When will this report be published?

Comment on this
Leo Varadkar The Taoiseach Fine Gael

The Minister, Deputy Eoghan Murphy, spoke about this on the radio this morning. I am not sure if the Deputy had a chance to listen to his comprehensive interview. He indicated that the report is now in the Office of the Attorney General because, obviously, the Attorney General has to review it and potentially redact it before it can be published. Therefore there is not date for publication at this stage. Certainly the Minister would like to publish it as soon as it is possible to do so.

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