As we reported recently, well known activist and campaigner Tony Rochford is convinced that Ireland is literally covered in death-trap houses and apartments and it must be said that the experienced construction worker has compelling evidence to back up his claims.
Mr Rochford has taken a special exception to the what he describes as no help whatsoever from politicians who seem to be totally oblivious to the potential death-traps that he says poses a serious and genuine risk to the health and safety of the Irish public.
Tony has voiced his concern even louder since the horrific nightmare that befell the residents of Grenfell Tower in the early summer.
Mr Rochford has told of how he fears lack of building regulations and light touch enforcement in Ireland has led to and could lead to many more deaths of innocent people completely unaware of problems and risk factors in their homes.
Rochford, who has life-long experience in the construction industry, believes he has uncovered shocking new evidence that suggests apartments blocks and housing estates throughout the country could be death-traps given what he believes to be shoddy workmanship from incompetent builders and under-handed practice.
Mr Rochford has worked tirelessly to highlight one specific case in an apartment complex named Verdemont on Snugborough Rd, Dublin 15 which was built between 1998 and 2001.
Mr Rochford alleges that blocked air vents contributed to the deaths of number of people who were caught up in a fire in the complex in 2002.
He subsequently highlighted his concerns widely on social media about the apartment complex which was the scene of another fire in 2016.
Mr Rochford suggests that the country is awash with troubled housing estates. He believes that across Ireland, there’s buildings that have badly designed ducting systems in attics which are causing leaks that interfere with fire alarms and electrical systems.
Tony has serious concerns that an Irish version of the Grenfell Tower inferno could happen at any time due to an incredibly lack of regulation and building standards.
He alleges that ducting systems in the attics are not insulated and the plastic pipes are expanding and contracting from the attics warming and cooling during the day & night especially in the summer causing the leaks from the condensation in the pipes.
Mr Rochford also insists that across Ireland, blocked air vents or insufficient ventilation can be a fire hazard allowing temperatures to soar and melt plastic fitting if a cooker is left on in small kitchens. This can cause the plastic parts in extractor fans over the cookers to melt and drip down onto the ring and ignite the plastic because there is no air circulation. Lack of sufficient air vents is also a health hazard and can cause illness from lack of oxygen for the tenants while they sleep.
Mr Rochford claims that politicians are responsible, namely the Dublin 15 politicians of the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar, Joan Burton, and Ruth Coppinger, all of whom have given no assistance and he says Government have not provided anywhere for whistle blowers to report these health hazards which put lives at risk from illness or death.