Council probe balcony safety after children's fall in Waterford

A report into the condition and safety of all balconies at Mount Suir Manor in Waterford City is expected in two weeks

The balconies in blocks A and B of Mount Suir Manor in Waterford City are being examined by the apartment management company, while Waterford City and County Council has inspected the balconies on Block C. File picture

A report into the condition and safety of all balconies in a local authority-owned apartment complex in Waterford is expected in two weeks, after siblings aged seven and three were injured after a 6m fall from two storeys up.

Waterford City and County Council, which owns one of three blocks in the Mount Suir apartment scheme in Gracedieu, Waterford City, ensured that structural engineers carried out targeted condition and safety inspections over the last two weeks since brother and sister Jayden, three, and Nevaeh O’Neill, seven, fell from a balcony on March 20.

The children had been playing with two other siblings who were not injured.

They were taken by ambulance to University Hospital Waterford for treatment of their injuries. Jayden narrowly missed falling on a large shard of glass. His parents, Ryan O’Neill and Regina Smith, confirmed their son suffered a brain bleed and will continue to be monitored by medical staff.

Garda forensic teams also examined the balcony in the immediate aftermath of the incident.

Residents in Block C have been advised to continue not using their balconies by the council until the findings from the structural engineers’ report are presented to the local authority.

A spokesperson for the council said it is waiting for the technical report carried out by independent structural engineers on all balconies in Block C.

Block C of the Mount Suir apartment complex on Carrickpherish Rd in Waterford, where two young siblings were injured after falling 6m from a two-storey balcony. Picture: Alex Cunningham

“With regard to balconies in Blocks A and B, those inspections are being carried out by the owner management company with responsibility for those blocks,” the spokesperson added.

Mayor of Waterford City and County, Labour councillor Séamus Ryan, said he has “full faith” in the inspections carried out by structural engineers on the balconies in the complex of Block C.

Mr Ryan said he understood the “concern” of residents over safety issues.

Sinn Féin councillor Jim Griffin outlined that the report is expected to be presented to the council “sooner rather than later”.

Mr Griffin said that a recent meeting of the housing executive elected members “got comfort that a thorough, not just visual inspections would be carried out”.

“Inspections weren’t just around the facade and mould issues. No stone is being left unturned by this inspection, we were told.

“While the council does not own Blocks A and B, there is a duty of care as many of the residents receive the Housing Assistance Payment.

“Chief executive Seán McKeown has inherited this problem, but I’m sure that he will follow all of the recommendations from the structural engineers once the report is ready.”