This is the fourth year of the ‘be Summer Ready’ campaign which compliments the long standing “Be Winter Ready” information campaign.

The aim of the campaign is to provide information to the general public on issues which may affect them during the summer months in Ireland, encouraging people to be informed and aware of the risks which may occur, in order to be prepared, to stay safe, and know where to find help if needed in an emergency.

The focus of the 2023 campaign messaging is “Think water safety – Plan and Prepare”. It aims to highlight and make the public aware of the importance of considering your safety, making a plan, and being prepared before you go on or near the water or undertake water based activities.

A campaign leaflet contains important water safety focused advice and information, as well as additional sources of advice to assist the public in planning and preparing before taking to the water.

We would urge people to take some time to familiarise themselves with the important safety information and advice in this campaign, on topics such as water safety, road safety, health preparedness, and farm safety.

More information about the campaign is available on the Be Summer Ready website.

Click on the following link to download a PDF copy of the booklet https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/389f2-be-summer-ready/

 

Guide for Persons having Control under Section 18(2) Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003

A public consultation has been launched, in respect of a draft document, prepared as part of the response to the recommendations in Fire Safety in Ireland, the report of the Fire Safety Task Force (2018).

The documentation can be found here:  https://www.gov.ie/en/consultation/c5eea-public-consultation-on-the-draft-fire-safety-guide-for-building-owners-and-operators/

The draft Fire Safety Guide for Building Owners and Operators – Guide for Persons having Control under Section 18(2) Fire Services Acts 1981 & 2003 – addresses Task Force recommendations in respect of guidance for those with section 18(2) responsibilities, and testing & servicing of fire safety measures.

 

Arising from current dry weather patterns and high temperatures a high fire risk is deemed to exist in all areas where hazardous fuels such as dead grasses and shrub fuels such as heather and gorse exist. This risk phase is expected to peak on Friday, July 2nd, 2021.

Higher visitor activity levels at recreational sites can be expected in line with fine weather and summer holiday usage patterns. Members of the public intending to visit forests and other recreational sites are reminded to adhere to regulations introduced to limit the spread of Covid-19. Vehicles must not be parked at site entrances or impede emergency service access to forest roads.  Forest visitors should not use barbeques or open fires at any stage.

Fire behaviour and spread rates are likely to be moderated by higher live fuel moisture levels in vegetation, but near drought conditions may exist on some site types, particularly on lowland peat sites and in eastern regions.

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Be Summer Ready Booklet (PDF)

This booklet is part of the Government of Ireland initiative to provide information to the general public on issues which may affect them during summer months in Ireland. This summer will be different from others because of the impact of COVID-19 that continues to be felt by us all. So please bear in mind all relevant Public Health advice and do not forget that all travel should be considered in line with current Government guidelines.

For up to date information please see www.gov.ie/covid19

During the summer months, Ireland’s waterways and beaches become very popular. More people visit the countryside, engage in outdoor pursuits, visit family farms or take holidays. With these activities there are associated risks and this booklet  provides information on them.

 

Sadly, summer months can also bring tragedy, in the form of drowning accidents, farm accidents, accidents on our roads, or where people succumb to summer-related illnesses. Wildfires are also a more common occurrence during this period.

Information on being prepared and staying safe during these summer months, for the individual, family, home, farm, business and school, is contained in this booklet and in the links/web addresses and phone numbers contained herein. We advise people to familiarise themselves with the information in this booklet.

The booklet is published by the Department of Defence’s Office of Emergency Planning, on behalf of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning.’

There is more information and useful links on our website, www.gov.ie/summerready

Tá leagan Gaeilge den leabhrán seo ar fáil freisin.

The National Building Control Office have announced that the Building Control Management System (BCMS) can now facilitate the online submission of Fire Safety Certificates, Disability Access Certificates and Dispensation from/Relaxation Certificates.

From July 13th 2020, Monaghan Fire & Building Control Authority would encourage all agents to use this online application process (similar to lodging a CN or CCC) when applying for Fire Certs, Revised Fire Certs, Regularisation Certs, DAC’s, Revised DAC’s and Dispensations from/Relaxation Certificates.

Covid 19 – Fire Safety Advice: Fire Safety Advice (PDF)

Building Control Notice

Any person intending to carry out building works on their premises during this current pandemic should be conscious of their responsibility to comply with the Building Control Regulations.

If you are unsure if the works you are planning require any of the following:

– Commencement Notice

– Fire Safety Certificate

– Disability Access Certificate

Please contact Monaghan Fire & Civil Protection by phone on 047-30521 or email fireofficer@monaghancoco.ie

See schematic below for additional guidance:

Dangerous Substances (Flammable Liquids and Fuels Retail Stores) Regulations, 2019 (S.I. No. 630 of 2019)

New regulations covering the storage and handling of flammable liquids and fuels for sale or supply to the public at retail and kerbside retail stores come into effect from 1 April 2020.

These new Regulations are at Dangerous Substances (Flammable Liquids and Fuels Retail Stores) Regulations, 2019 (S.I. No. 630 of 2019)

They repeal and replace the Dangerous Substances (Retail and Private Petroleum Stores) Regulations, 1979 (S.I. No. 311 of 1979).

The Regulations lay down rules, which provide for the licensing, operation and inspection of retail and kerbside retail stores.

 

Dangerous Substances (Flammable Liquids and Fuels Distribution and Commercial Supply Stores) Regulations, 2019 (S.I. No. 631 of 2019)

New regulations covering the storage and handling of flammable liquids and fuels for supply or sale to commercial enterprises, for supply to the licensee’s own vehicle or for use in any engine under the licensee’s control come into effect from 1 April 2020.

These new Regulations are at Dangerous Substances (Flammable Liquids and Fuels Distribution and Commercial Supply Stores) Regulations, 2019

They repeal and replace the Dangerous Substances (Petroleum Bulk Stores) Regulations, 1979 (S.I. No. 313 of 1979).

The Regulations lay down rules, which provide for the licensing, operation and inspection of distribution and commercial supply stores.

Further information is provided here.

Covid 19 – Building Control Measures

Due to the unprecedented nature of the Covid 19 crisis; a number of measures have been taken in relation to building control, in the form of legislative changes, copies of which are attached below.

Measures:

• Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid- 19) Act 2020
• Building Control Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 113 of 2020) 
• Building Control Act 1990 (Section 5) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 112 of 2020)

 

Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (Covid- 19) Act 2020

Emergency Measures In The Public Interest (Covid 19) Act 2020 (PDF)

SUMMARY

These Orders allow that the period from Sunday 29th March 2020 to Monday 20th April 2020 inclusive, a total period of three weeks and two days (23 days), may be disregarded when calculating any appropriate period, specified period, or other timelines in certain sections of the Building Control Act 1990 (and certain planning Acts), namely

• Section 4(4) Dispensation or relaxation of building regulations,
• Section 6 Building control regulations, and
• 17(6) Penalties.

To illustrate how this works in the case of a Fire Safety Certificate (FSC) application, the time periods specified in the Building Control Act of 2 months beginning on the date of an application (or within such extended period as may at any time be agreed in writing between the applicant and the building control authority), may be extended for the duration of the time period specified by the Orders, by disregarding 23 days from Sunday 29th March 2020 to Monday 20th April 2020 inclusive.

The exact calculation of the date of extended time period will depend on the date a FSC application is submitted.

For example, under Section 6(5) of the Building Control Act, 1990 – 2014, an application for a Fire Safety Certificate, which was lodged on 18 March 2020, would ordinarily require a decision on or before 17 May 2020, however, the Orders referred to above disregard the period between 29 March 2020, and 20 April 2020. Therefore, the application would now require a decision on or before 9 June 2020.

While the above example demonstrates the extension to a Fire Safety Certificate, this same approach applies to the following:

• an application for a Dispensation or relaxation of building regulations, (as set out in Section 4 of the Building Control Act),
• a 7 day notice,
• revised fire safety certificate,
• regularisation certificate (including the 4month period for conditions to be complied with),
• disability access certificate, and
• revised disability access certificate.

In respect of offences, under the Building Control Act (Section 17(6)) summary proceedings may be instituted within twelve months after the date of the discovery of the offence but not later than 5 years after the date of completion of any building or works in respect of which the offence is alleged to have been committed. These periods may be extended by the time periods specified by the recent Orders, by disregarding 23 days from Sunday 29th March 2020 to Monday 20th April 2020 inclusive.

The Orders also allow the period from Sunday 29th March 2020 to Monday 20th April 2020 inclusive (23days) to be disregarded when calculating any appropriate period, specified period or other time limits referred to in regulations made under Section 6 of the Building Control Act i.e. the Building Control Regulations.

This includes the time limits and periods, set out in the Building Control Regulations, in relation to;

• commencement notices & 7 day notices
• Certificate of Compliance on Completion, and
• Appeals to An Bord Pleanála.

While the Orders facilitate the extension of time limits and periods, it does not affect the operation of the building control system as set out in the Building Control Regulations or the Building Control Act. In the interest of clarity, building control authorities can still grant or validate an application/ notice/ certificate etc., at any time within the time limits and periods.

It should be noted, the legislation provides that the Government may extend the disregarded period (before it expires), once the statutory requirements for extension are met and may further extend it as many times as is considered necessary, until 9th November 2020. Any such decision to extend the period of the order would be communicated to building control authorities.

 

Building Control Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 113 of 2020) 

Building Control Regulations 2020 (S.I. No. 113 Of 2020) (PDF) 

SUMMARY

The Building Control Regulations 2020 temporarily dis-apply certain provisions of the Building Control Regulations 1997 (No. 496 of 1997) in relation to works that are being carried out in response to Covid-19 and replace them with a streamlined notification process.

The following provisions are temporarily dis-applied in the Building Control Regulations 2020;

• Commencement Notices and certificates of compliance before construction,
• Fire Safety Certificates,
• 7 Day Notices, Revised Fire Safety Certificates,
• Disability Access Certificates, Revised Disability Access Certificates, and
• Certificates of Compliance on Completion

The regulations apply exclusively to works or material change of use to the classes of building listed below, being carried out on or behalf of a State authority, in response to Covid-19;

• Acute and other health and social care accommodation.
• Self-isolation short stay accommodation.
• Covid-19 and other step down accommodation.
• Medical testing centre or laboratory.
• Emergency management coordination facilities.
• Mortuary facilities.
• Other accommodation or buildings ancillary to the classes of building referred to above, including storage facilities.

The regulations require, the State authority or those working on its behalf to;

• serve a notice on the relevant Building Control Authority for works related to the Covid- 19 Crisis, in the form of a ‘Works (Covid-19 Crisis) Notice’, and an accompanying declaration. The declaration requires that adequate oversight, supervision, inspection and certification will be carried out by competent persons to ensure compliance with the Building Regulations; and
• apply for a Regularisation Certificate for the works, within 12 months from the end date of the Regulations, if the works, or a Material Change of Use are still in place.

Both the Works (Covid-19 Crisis) Notice and accompanying declaration will be emailed to the relevant building control authority at the BCMS email address bcms@monaghancoco.ie and also support@nbco.gov.ie

These Regulations are effective from 13th March 2020 to the end date as specified in the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No.1 of 2020), currently 9th November 2020, or as may be extended.

Separately, Fire Safety Risk Assessments (under the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003) will be carried out on all relevant properties, and measures will also be put in place for the management of fire safety and staffing levels to facilitate evacuation, evacuation procedures and other related requirements.

The Building Control Regulations 2020 do not affect the obligation to comply with the relevant performance requirements of the Building Regulations.

 

Building Control Act 1990 (Section 5) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 112 of 2020)

Building Control Act 1990 (Section 5) Order 2020 (S.I. No. 112 Of 2020) (PDF)

SUMMARY

The Building Control Act 1990 (Section 5) Order 2020 provides, for a limited period, a temporary dispensation, for State authorities, from the requirements of Part L ‘Conservation of Fuel and Energy’ of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations.

In alignment with the Building Control Regulations 2020, the Order applies exclusively to works or material change of use to the classes of building listed below, being carried out on or behalf of a State authority, in response to Covid-19;

• Acute and other health and social care accommodation.
• Self-isolation short stay accommodation.
• Covid-19 and other step down accommodation.
• Medical testing centre or laboratory.
• Emergency management coordination facilities.
• Mortuary facilities.
• Other accommodation or buildings ancillary to the classes of building referred to above, including storage facilities.

The Order is effective, for the same period as the Building Control Regulations 2020, from 13th March 2020 to the end date as specified in the Health (Preservation and Protection and other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest) Act 2020 (No.1 of 2020), currently 9th November 2020, or as may be extended.

Part L ‘Conservation of Fuel and Energy’ of the Second Schedule to the Building Regulations provides that energy performance of the building is such as to limit the amount of energy required for the operation of the building and the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission associated with this energy use insofar as it is reasonably practicable.

The Order also provides for the buildings to be brought into compliance with the Part L ‘Conservation of Fuel and Energy’ within 2 years from the end date of the order, if the works, or a material change of use are still in place.

This Order in no way affects the requirements to comply with the other Parts of the regulations ensuring the protection of the health, safety and welfare of people in and around buildings for example standards around fire safety and structures will not be compromised. This is a proportionate response to the urgent threat to the public’s health that Covid-19 presents.