“Don’t be like Fair City’s Pete; use a Registered Gas Installer”
That’s the message from Gas Networks Ireland’s Networks Safety Manager, Owen Wilson, after RTÉ soap Fair City this week aired footage of character Pete Ferguson – played by Enda Oates – dangerously trying to fix his own gas boiler.
Mr Wilson is urging all gas users, including those who use LPG and the 706,000 customers connected to the national natural gas network, never to attempt repairs to any gas appliances themselves or engage the services of an unregistered technician, no matter how convenient or tempting it may seem.
“Please put safety in your home first. What Pete did is not only dangerous, but it’s also illegal. By law, only a registered gas installer is permitted to work on domestic natural gas and LPG installations,” Mr Wilson said.
“When you're having a gas appliance installed, serviced or repaired, always use a registered gas installer. They are fully insured, certified and trained in gas safety, giving you peace of mind that your installation is safe.”
The public safety campaign in which Daniel O’Donnell helps highlight the necessity of using a registered gas installer for any work on gas appliances, aired during key episodes to ensure viewers heard this important message and weren’t tempted to copy Pete’s dangerous antics.
The campaign, delivered by Gas Networks Ireland on behalf of the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU) and its designated safety supervisory body, the Register of Gas Installers of Ireland (RGII), is now in its fifth year.
The national gas utility also promotes public safety through its gas escapes emergency service, carbon monoxide awareness, dial before you dig and meter tampering campaigns.
To find a registered gas installer in your area, call 1850 454 454 or visit the Register of Gas Installers of Ireland website: rgii.ie.
About Gas Networks Ireland
Gas Networks Ireland operates Ireland’s €2.7bn, 14,617km national gas network, which is considered one of the safest and most modern gas networks in the world.
Over 706,000 Irish homes and businesses trust Ireland’s gas network to provide affordable and reliable energy to meet their heating and cooking needs.
The gas network is the cornerstone of Ireland’s energy system, securely supplying more than 30% of Ireland’s total energy, including 40% of all heating and over 50% of the country’s electricity generation.
By replacing natural gas with renewable gases and complementing intermittent renewable electricity, Gas Networks Ireland is supporting Ireland’s journey to a cleaner energy future.