Sinn Féin TD and Housing Spokesperson Dessie Ellis has called on the government to introduce legislation which would make the installation of carbon monoxide detectors mandatory. He made his call following the death of an elderly couple in Dublin on Monday which is suspected to have been due to carbon monoxide poisoning.
Deputy Ellis said:
“The installation of these detectors is a vital step in ensuring against tragedies such as that which is suspected to have happened on Monday. Most homes in the state have smoke detectors but systems for detecting carbon monoxide are not nearly as common. Carbon monoxide is a silent killer and precautions must be taken.
“There is a precedent for such legislation. Colorado in the United States has the installation of such detectors as mandatory for the sale or lease of any residential property. California and New York have similar laws.
“These detectors would be a small price to pay if they were to save a life. I will be raising this with the Minister for Environment in the Dáil in the coming weeks.”
