VIDEO: Modular homes to be built in Dublin by firetrap school firm

A company, which built a school found to be a fire hazard, has been awarded a local authority contract to build modular homes.

Dublin City Council has entered into a contract with Western Building Systems to provide 22 modular houses for homeless families in Dublin.

The Co Tyrone firm built the Rush and Lusk Educate Together National School, which was found to have major safety defects. The school in north Dublin was signed off by the Fianna Fáil-led government in 2008.

However, a routine inspection in 2014 found it had so many fire safety concerns it could have collapsed during a blaze in just 20 minutes.

These included a lack of cavity barriers within walls to prevent a fire from spreading and inadequate fire stopping on fire-resistant doors to prevent smoke seeping through during a blaze.

When these defects were uncovered, Dublin Fire Brigade ordered the Department of Education to carry out €800,000 worth or repairs to make the building safe.

The department has since ordered investigations into other schools built by Western Building Systems. The company has built around 25 schools across the country.

In a statement issued last night, the company said: “In approx 2007, whilst on Department of Education Framework, we constructed a temporary school in Lusk. In 2008, we received an allegation from the school of fire-protection defects.

“[We] met the school and the issues raised were incorrect. This we clarified and wrote to Department of Education, accordingly.”

Dublin City Council (DCC) refused to comment after awarding the modular home contract to the company.

A spokeswoman said: “Dublin City Council has no comment to make regarding fire issues. Western Building Systems were awarded the contract to deliver 22 modular houses following a tendering process.”

The council said that families will be in their new homes by December 21, “in recognition of the urgency of the family homelessness situation in the Dublin region”.

The two-storey family homes will each have three bedrooms and it is expected the development will cost around €4.2m. The site in Poppintree, Dublin 11, has been named Baile na Laochra (Town of the Heroes).

DCC said the contract had been awarded following an Accelerated Restricted Procedure (ARP), which means that the tender, design and build process for the homes is fast-tracked.

With around 700 families without a home and living in emergency accommodation, including hotels and B&Bs, the Government has decided to roll-out prefabricated houses.

In response, Western Building Systems said: “We have an excellent track record in adhering to contracts in quality programme, non-contractual claims, and fire and safety regulations.”