Louis O'Hara
Question:681. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the fire services Bill; will this Bill move to the next stages. [29688/26]
View answerTuesday, 28 April 2026
Questions (681)
Written answers
The work of local authority fire services has, to a large degree, been underpinned by the Fire Services Act 1981 for over forty years. This legislation has served the country well, and key indicators such as fatalities from fire per million of population have continued to fall consistently to the point where they are at their lowest for forty years.
The Act was amended in 2003 primarily to clarify the responsibility of 'persons having control' of premises and to strengthen the powers of fire authorities to prosecute offences and serve notices.
Work is currently ongoing to review and consolidate the 1981 and 2003 Acts in order to ensure that the underpinning legislation enables our fire services to remain agile, resilient and adaptable.
Like all legislation, this is a complex piece of work, which necessitates consideration of multifaceted issues that impact on a number of different sectors. When my Department is satisfied that the legislation being brought forward is appropriate, balanced, complete and robust, it will be progressed.
As part of the review, my Department is currently engaging in a Public Consultation relating to the Ease of Escape Regulations 1985. Submissions are due to close on 24 April 2026, after which the feedback will be recorded, collated, analysed, and evaluated to determine appropriate changes and bring forward new Ease of Escape Regulations. This is the immediate legislative priority.