Fire compliance in Ireland, explained plainly
No scare tactics and no manufactured urgency. Here is what the standards actually say, what changed recently, and what an inspector or an insurer will look for in a small commercial premises.
What IS 3218:2024 changed
IS 3218 is the Irish standard for fire detection and alarm systems in buildings. The 2024 revision tightened the expectations around system design, documentation and the competence records behind installation and maintenance. In practice, that means two things for a small premises. First, the paperwork trail now matters as much as the hardware. Second, a system installed a decade ago to the older revision will not automatically satisfy the current one.
This is not a reason to panic and it is not a reason to rip out a working alarm. It is a reason to have the system assessed against the current revision so you know where you stand, in writing.
How often commercial extinguishers must be serviced
Portable fire extinguishers in a commercial premises in Ireland are maintained to IS 291. Servicing is annual, carried out by a competent person, with an extended service or refill at longer intervals depending on the extinguisher type. Alongside that, a visual check by someone on site each month is expected: pressure gauge in the green, seal intact, extinguisher on its bracket and not blocked.
Type matters as much as frequency. Water on an electrical fire or on cooking oil is a danger rather than a control, which is why the survey specifies CO2 for electrical risk and wet chemical for kitchens.
What a compliance certificate actually contains
A certificate that is worth anything states the standard it was issued against, the premises and the areas covered, the devices installed and their locations, the tests carried out and their results, the date, and the name and competence of the person issuing it. Any deviation from the standard should be recorded on it rather than left out of it. If a certificate does not name a standard, it is a receipt, not a certificate.
A checklist by premises type
- Dental practices. Heat detection in sterilisation, CO2 near imaging and server equipment, clear escape from every surgery.
- Salons and barbers. Chemical storage checked, heat sources logged, extinguisher types matched to the risk rather than to habit.
- Retail shops. Public escape routes kept clear, stockroom detection, signage visible from the shop floor.
- Pharmacies. Controlled stock areas covered, records kept to the standard the inspection expects.
- Restaurants and cafes. Wet chemical cover for cooking oils, heat detection in the kitchen, extraction and ducting considered.
- Offices. Server room CO2, detection across circulation areas, documented weekly call point test.
- Childcare and creches. The category checked hardest. Detection density, escape times and documentation all matter here.
Compliance questions
What is the actual monthly cost?
It depends on how many extinguishers your premises needs. Core is €239 a month excluding VAT, Shield is €287, Sentinel is €356 and Command is €556. Those are the figures for a standard premises on a 5 year agreement. You get your exact figure in writing before you commit to anything.
Why is every price quoted excluding VAT?
Because a commercial premises reclaims it. Quoting the VAT inclusive figure would overstate what the plan actually costs your business, so every figure on this site is stated excluding VAT and says so.
What do I pay to get it installed?
Nothing. There is no deposit, no installation charge and no equipment cost. The daily fee starts once the system is in and certified.
Do I have to close while it is being fitted?
No. The system is wireless, so there is no channelling of walls and no rewiring. It goes in inside one day. Most of our customers keep trading right through the install.
Why is there a credit check?
Because we are installing several thousand euro of equipment at our own cost and recovering it over the term. A standard business credit check is part of the application, the same as any commercial lease or finance agreement. It has no effect on your personal credit rating.
If the check does not pass, we will still quote you to buy the system outright. You are not turned away.
What happens when the system gets old?
We replace it and the plan carries on. You never receive a bill for a replacement system. This is the part that people miss when they compare the plan to buying outright: the owner who buys pays again in roughly ten years, and the plan customer does not.
Does this actually make me compliant?
Yes, and it is in writing. Your compliance certificate is issued on the day of install against IS 3218:2024 for the alarm and IS 291 for the extinguishers, and reissued after each quarterly inspection. If anything is outstanding on the day, we keep working at no charge until it is cleared.
My alarm went in years ago and it still works. Do I need to do anything?
Possibly not, and we are not going to tell you otherwise to sell you something. What has changed is the standard. IS 3218:2024 raised the bar, and a lot of systems over ten years old will not meet it now. That is a reason to have it checked, not a reason to panic. The survey will tell you either way. There is a nominal survey charge, credited in full against your subscription if you go ahead, and the written report is yours to keep whatever you decide.
What areas do you cover?
FirePulse installs and inspections are carried out by ADS Group's own engineers, who service 1,300+ active contracts throughout Ireland and the UK. Ring us on 01 620 6758 with your Eircode and we will confirm cover for your premises.
Is it really from less than €10 a day?
Core starts at €7.87 a day excluding VAT, so yes. What moves the figure is the number of extinguishers the premises needs and the size of the detection specification, which is what the survey establishes.