Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 December 2025
280. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to outline current regulations governing fire safety standards in caravan parks and mobile home parks, and whether reforms are being considered. [72631/25]
View answer281. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the most recent update to any guidance on evacuation routes, spacing requirements and emergency planning for caravan parks. [72632/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 280 and 281 together.
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 & 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
Fire authorities have powers under the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003 to carry out inspections of some premises. Section 18(2) of the Act prescribes that the “person having control” over premises “take all reasonable measures to guard against the outbreak of fire on such premises, and to ensure as far as is reasonably practicable the safety of persons on the premises in the event of an outbreak of fire." Under section 13 of this act Fire Authorities may also advise a planning authority in relation to the functions of the planning authority which relates to permission for development.
My Department, through the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM) has issued guidance - “A Guide to Fire Safety in Existing Traveller Accommodation” - that includes information on fire safety in caravans, addressing means of escape, minimum spacing recommendations and pre-incident planning among other fire safety matters.
The NDFEM has developed also a “Fire Safety in Caravans” leaflet for caravan owners, copies of which are provided to fire services for distribution to members of the public.
The aforementioned leaflet and guidance along with other fire safety advice can be found at www.fireireland.ie. The most effective fire safety measure in any domestic setting is a working smoke alarm that is tested regularly.
