School building fire safety
Deputy Byrne asks why the former Minister could assure the House that WBS school buildings were built to the highest standards amid fire-safety concerns. The Minister says warning signs had been raised during assessments, but structural defects emerged only after invasive works.
Last year, at the Joint Committee on Education and Skills, when the cover-up of fire safety breaches was finally fully uncovered by the former Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Bruton, he stated he felt Western Building Systems, WBS, school buildings were being built to the highest possible standards. I would like to know why he was able to give that assurance. Was it because the Department was looking at the particular projects and examining them carefully or because the companies it employed, including Kerrigan Sheanon Newman, KSN, which it is still employing to run the crisis response, were advising it that the buildings were built to the highest possible standards? We are now finding out that they were not. On what basis did the Minister give that information and why then did it change?
Comment on this
Ba mhaith liom an cheist sin a fhreagairt don Teachta fosta. It is very important to point out that while the fire assessments were being carried out from quarter 4 in 2017 through to the end of August this year, concerns and potential concerns were being highlighted about fire safety issues, including fire walls, fire stops, door jams, etc. However, it was not until the physical invasive works were carried out - they were carried out at Ardgillan over two weeks ago - that structural issues were found. When the former Minister, Deputy Richard Bruton, commented that he was satisfied, he was doing so on the understanding the certificates of compliance had been adhered to by the contractor and the designers. He had no way of finding out what was going on inside the cavity walls. We have a very clear example at Ardgillan of an unacceptable level of workmanship. I intend to get to the bottom of that matter and also in the other 42 schools to ensure whatever remedial action is needed will be taken. In terms of taxpayers' money, accountability and culpability, we will pursue every channel to ensure there is accountability in respect of the people who were in the wrong and that they will pay for it.
