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For Written Answer on : 22/03/2022
Question Number(s): 103 Question Reference(s): 14199/22
Department: Enterprise, Trade and Employment
Asked by: David Stanton T.D.
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QUESTION
To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise; Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 165 of 15 September 2021, if his Department has completed its review of the public consultation submissions on furniture fire safety regulations; when he expects further recommendations on revised regulations to be issued; the next steps in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
REPLY
In the area of furniture fire safety, there are no harmonised EU standards. The Irish standard (I.S. 419:2011) and regulations (SI No. 316/1995) were introduced to protect consumers by preventing the rapid spread of a fire started on or near furniture. The Irish Regulations set out a more robust safety standard than applies in other EU Member States in order to provide a higher level of safety in this area.
Due to competing priorities as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, progress on the assessment of submissions was delayed, however analysis of the submissions has resumed again at pace. There have been a number of reports comparing mortality rates due to fires in the EU and the United States along with reports looking at the causes of domestic fires and these reports are being taken into account by my officials, where relevant.
I hope to have recommendations on any revised regulations on foot of that evaluation process later in the year.