Preparing and Responding to a Serious Incident Course for Line Managers
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Fire Safety and Building Control: Regulation, Investigation and Prosecution
Develop the legal skills, prosecution knowledge, and court confidence needed for effective fire safety and building control enforcement.
Online / In Person
3 days
About this course
Since 1 May 2025, fire safety and building control officers across Ireland are operating under the most significant regulatory changes in over a decade. The Building Regulations (Part B Amendment) 2024 and the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2025 have expanded the powers available to Building Control Authorities, and the expectations placed on officers exercising them. This course equips officers to meet those expectations.
This 3 module course is designed specifically for officers working in the area of fire safety and building control.
Building control officers will gain a clear understanding of the governing legislation, offences that may be prosecuted and the powers officers are afforded in this area. Officers will gain a good working knowledge of the notices that may be served, how to draft documents to best practice standards, how to undertake a successful investigation from start to finish including how to give clear effective evidence in court.
Why choose this course
Fire safety and building control officers are increasingly required to give evidence in adversarial legal proceedings. Errors in documentation, gaps in evidence collection, or uncertainty under cross-examination can undermine prosecutions that took months to build. This course addresses those risks directly.
This course gives fire safety and building control officers the practical legal skills to collect evidence correctly, draft watertight prosecution documents, and give confident evidence in court, including under cross-examination.
The course can be tailored according to the authority’s needs whether their officers are involved in fire investigations or have a regulatory role under the Building Control Acts.
Course syllabus
The three module training course will enhance the officer’s knowledge and understanding of the legislation they work under. It will ensure the officers have a clear understanding of what powers the legislation affords them, what notices they can serve under the various acts and what offences they can prosecute under the legislation. The training will also teach best practice in written evidence (note taking, prosecution statements and reports) and give delegates an insight into the way in which lawyers scrutinise the evidence and challenge it under cross- examination.
You will learn how to insulate their evidence and how to deal with the lawyers questioning techniques confidently and effectively during a mock court hearing. This legal training highlights the importance of distinguishing between facts and inferences and the sources of different types of evidence. The course can also develop knowledge of criminal law, evidence and the best practice procedure necessary for effective investigations and prosecutions under the Fire Services Acts and Building Control Acts.
What you will learn:
- Understand the legislative framework: the Fire Services Acts, the Building Control Acts, and the enforcement powers available to officers.
- Identify which offences can be prosecuted and which notices can be served under the relevant legislation.
- Draft prosecution statements, reports, and notices to best practice standards.
- Plan and conduct an investigation from start to finish.
- Give clear, confident evidence in court, including under cross-examination.
- Distinguish between facts and inferences, and understand the different categories of evidence.
Who should attend:
- Building control officers.
- Fire safety officers and senior fire officers.
- Environmental health officers with a building control remit.
- Local authority legal and enforcement teams.
- Officers preparing for court appearances or prosecution work.
FAQs
Who is this course designed for? Fire safety officers, building control officers, and local authority enforcement staff.
Is this course available online or in person? Both. The course can be delivered online or in person, and can be tailored to the authority’s specific needs.
Does this course cover the 2025 Building Control Amendment Regulations? Yes. The course is updated to reflect current Irish legislation, including the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations 2025 and Part B 2024.
Can this training be run in-house for a local authority team? Yes. La Touche Training delivers this course on-site for local authority teams. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
Meet the trainer – Judy Peters
Solicitor and Training Consultant
Judy Peters is a highly experienced lawyer and legal trainer with a distinguished career spanning over four decades. She was admitted as a solicitor in England in 1979, in Northern Ireland in 1983 and...
Read BioPractical training with small groups to ensure quality.
Our training sessions are not lectures—they're practical, interactive experiences. The small group format allows every attendee to ask questions, take part in discussions involving practical exercises and role-plays.
This method of training allows attendees to put the skills learned into practice immediately. Course participants benefit from the focused attention and guidance of an independent expert.
Build confidence in fire safety prosecutions and building control enforcement.
FAQs
This course provides an overview of fire safety law and building control regulations in Ireland. It focuses on the responsibilities of local authorities and professionals in ensuring buildings comply with fire safety standards and statutory requirements.
The course is suitable for local authority staff, building control officers, fire prevention officers, engineers, and professionals involved in construction regulation, inspection, or enforcement.
Fire safety in Ireland is primarily governed by the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, along with Building Regulations and associated technical guidance documents.
Building control ensures that new buildings and alterations comply with the Building Regulations, including fire safety requirements such as means of escape, fire resistance, and alarm systems.
Fire Safety Certificates are approvals granted by local authorities confirming that a building’s design complies with fire safety requirements under the Building Regulations before construction begins.
Yes. The course explains the statutory powers available to authorised officers, including inspection, enforcement notices, and legal action for non-compliance with building and fire safety regulations.
Local authorities are responsible for assessing fire safety certificate applications, carrying out inspections, and taking enforcement action where buildings do not comply with legal requirements.
Common issues include inadequate means of escape, non-compliant fire doors, lack of proper fire detection systems, and deviations from approved building plans.
Yes. The course is designed to explain technical and legal requirements in a clear and practical way, making it accessible for those without an engineering or architectural background.
It helps participants understand their legal responsibilities, interpret fire safety requirements, and apply building control regulations in inspections and enforcement scenarios.
