S.I. No. 525/1997 - National Standards Authority Of Ireland (Section 28) (13 a Plugs & Conversion Adaptors For Domestic Use) Regulations, 1997.

1. Any fixed luminaire, being a luminaire which cannot easily be moved from one place to another, either because it can only be removed with the use of a tool, or because it is intended for use out of easy reach.

2. Any ceiling-rose connector (that is to say a connector designed to hold up overhead electric lighting fittings).

3. Any electric light designed and intended to be located within a recess in a wall, or ceiling.

4. Any appliance which is fitted with a plug similar device for the purpose of supplying electrical power to the appliance.

5. Any appliance which is fitted with a plug transformer.

6. Any appliance which is fitted with a plug other than a plug which is designed to engage with a compatible portable multiple socket outlet.

7. Any appliance which is intended to be permanently connected to the fixed wiring of the mains system other than by means of a plug and socket.

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 18th day of December, 1997.

MARY HARNEY,

Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

(This note is not part of the Regulations and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

These Regulations remove the requirement that all 13 Amp Plugs be type approved by the National Standards Authority of Ireland before being placed on the market place. They allow for the acceptance of equivalent European standards and for type approval by other qualified European bodies as notified under the Low Voltage Directive in its unamended form.

These Regulations also introduce a requirement for all domestic electrical appliances (except those explicitly referred to in the 3rd Schedule to these Regulations) to have plugs attached when sold to the consumer. Nothing in these Regulations shall prohibit the importation of domestic appliances without correctly fitted plugs. However, these Regulations require that when sold to the final consumer, domestic appliances must have plugs fitted in compliance with Regulation 5 (i).

These Regulations revoke Regulations

S.I. No. 173 of 1987

relating to 13 Amp Plugs and also the 1969 Electrical Appliance Order,

S.I. No. 222 of 1969

.

1

OJ No. L77, 26-3-73, p29.

2

OJ No. L220, 30-8-1993, p1.

8. Conversion plugs shall be tested in accordance with Clause 4 “General notes on test”, of IEC 884-1.

9. Type approval may be granted by a designated person in respect of a conversion plug if

(

a

) it is of a type which conforms to the safety requirements of IEC 844-1, and

(

b

) the designated person is satisfied by inspections or otherwise, that the design of the plug and its normal production will result in conversion plugs which when used in accordance with their manufacturer's instructions conform to the safety requirements of IEC 884-1, and that the manufacturer has adequate quality control procedures in place to ensure this.

10. Plugs or conversion plugs which are the subject of type approval shall be marked or bear a label with the words “Type Approved by” followed by the name of the designated person who granted the approval.

11. Type approval may be withdrawn by a designated person, on 28 days notice in writing giving the reasons for such withdrawal; and the manufacturer or supplier of the plug or conversion plug for which type approval has been withdrawn shall have the right to reply to these reasons in writing within that time to the designated person to have his reply considered.

12. Where type approval of a plug or conversion plug is refused by a designated person the designated person shall give the reasons for such refusal to the applicant and the applicant shall have the right to reply to these reasons and to have his reply considered by the designated person.

13. Where type approval has been withdrawn or refused under paragraphs 11 or 12 of this Schedule the manufacturer or supplier may appeal to the Minister whose decision on the matter shall be final.

14. It is a condition of every type approval granted under these Regulations that a designated person shall be entitled from time to time to take samples of type approved plugs or conversion plugs from the manufacturer or supplier to determine whether they remain in conformity to I.S. 401 : 1997 and the cost of such testing shall be borne by the manufacturer or supplier in cases where samples are found not to conform with I.S. 401 : 1997.

SECOND SCHEDULE

Regulation 4

Excluded Electrical Devices

.

I, MARY HARNEY TD, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by

Section 28

of the

National Standards Authority of Ireland Act, 1996

(No. 28 of 1996) (as adapted by the Enterprise and Employment (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1997 (

S.I. No. 305 of 1997

)), hereby make the following Regulations