Warning on high-rise fire hazards

High-rise buildings could be a fire hazard, John Dennehy (FF, Cork South Central) warned.

Much of the building boom consisted of such developments, he said. "No doubt we have all seen Towering Inferno and said it was a great film, very exciting and so on, but it is only a film. Arising out of that, there are many serious questions. I ask whether, in regard to the county hall in Cork, the trade union building, Liberty Hall, and many other buildings, we have the ability to fight a fire in them. We certainly do not have the fleet of helicopters that were available to the fire chief in the film."

Mr Dennehy, who was speaking during the resumed debate on the building control Bill, said he was very concerned that commercial arguments would take precedence over fire safety requirements.

Bernard Durkan (FG, Kildare North) said there was a "terrible blight" on modern development. Up to 10 or 15 years ago, the quality of development was exceptionally high. "That is not the case any more. Now we have what is known as the duplex system. This is essentially the construction of one house on top of the other, with an external stairway leading into the upper house." He said such houses did nothing for the people who lived in them.

Peter Kelly (FF, Longford-Roscommon) said the Bill required that architects be registered. "The public will welcome this, as I do."