1908. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the safeguards in place to ensure that tall residential buildings are designed and maintained to appropriate fire-safety standards; the measures in place to ensure that fire and rescue services can safely and effectively access such buildings and reach upper floors in the event of a fire, including access for firefighting appliances and equipment; whether consideration has been given to the particular challenges posed by increasing residential building heights; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63088/26]

The Building Regulations 1997 - 2024 set out the legal requirements in Ireland for the construction of new buildings (including houses), extensions to existing buildings, as well as for material alterations and certain material changes of use to existing buildings.

Part B Fire Safety of the second schedule to the Building Regulations sets out the minimum statutory requirements in respect of fire safety. Technical Guidance Document B, 2024 – Fire Safety – Volume 1 – Buildings other than Dwelling Houses available at: www.gov.ie/en/collection/d9729-technical-guidance-documents/ provides technical guidance on how to comply with the regulations in practical terms. Where works are carried out in accordance with the technical guidance, such works are considered to be, prima facie, in compliance with the relevant regulation(s).

Section 5 of the Technical Guidance Document relates to the provision of access to, and facilities for, the fire service in respect of works or a material change of use to which the Building Regulations relate. Included in the measures set out in Section 5 are:

• The provision of hydrants,

• Vehicular access to buildings for fire service appliances,

• The provision of internal fire mains in certain buildings,

• The provision of firefighting shafts in buildings over 20m in height, and basements over 10m deep.

The requirements of the Building Regulations relate primarily to a building, and the site it is contained on, but do not extend beyond the curtilage of the site.

In addition to the above, Technical Guidance Document B, 2024 includes a provision that all new apartment buildings, and new student accommodation buildings with a floor height greater than 15, m should also be provided with a sprinkler system.

Building owners, and builders are responsible for ensuring that buildings or works are carried out in accordance with the requirements of the Building Regulations.

Enforcement of the Building Regulations is delegated under the Building Control Acts 1990 – 2025 to the local building control authorities (i.e. the 31 local authorities) who are independent in the exercise of their statutory powers. They are afforded strong powers of enforcement under the Act, including the power to request information, take samples, issue warning letters, serve enforcement notices directing the opening up of works, or directing action to ensure compliance with building regulations, and the power to prosecute through the courts.

The National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) has developed a suite of Standard Operating Guidelines (SOGs) to support effective firefighting operations. The core training delivered locally on SOGs underpins a risk-based approach to fighting fires. SOG 3.02 - Fighting Fires in Tall Buildings examines the hazards, risks and control measures associated with incidents involving firefighting and search and rescue operations in tall buildings. The guidance is intended to protect Fire and Rescue Service personnel, partner agencies and members of the public. It applies to buildings and structures where the design and layout require firefighters to rely on internal access routes and any firefighting facilities provided specifically for Fire and Rescue Service use.

In 2023, my Department published a Fire Safety Guide for Building Owners and Operators. Section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003 places a duty on persons having control over all types of premises other than a dwelling house occupied as a single dwelling. This Guide is intended to assist every person having control in a practical understanding and effective implementation of these requirements in discharging their statutory responsibility for fire safety in a premises. The Fire safety Guide for Building Owners and Operators is available at www.gov.ie/en/publication/c0b05-fire-safety-guide-for-building-owners-and-operators/.