Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)

I thank Deputy McManus for raising this matter. I pay tribute again to Brian Murray and Mark O'Shaughnessy and acknowledge the ongoing pain and loss being experienced by their families and colleagues. For most people time has passed quickly since September 26 but for the families it has been a very long and painful time. This was evident when the Minister, Deputy Gormley, and I met representatives of both families.

With regard to the incidents concerning the Bray fire service referred to by Deputy McManus, I understand that several people, including three fire fighters, were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after the recent fire. Members of the fire services, both full-time and retained, do a very difficult job and I commend them and express on behalf of the Government our gratitude for their selfless public service. I also acknowledge that 2007 was a particularly difficult year for them. I spoke to some of the Bray crew in the aftermath of the tragedy, and the Minister and I have arranged to meet them again tomorrow night, together with the county manager and the chief fire officer. I thank the Bray crew for their dedication before and since the tragedy. One can only imagine their terrible sense of loss as they go about their business.

The Deputy will recall that the Minister and I indicated during the Private Members' debate on this issue that the provision of a fire service is the statutory responsibility of the local fire authority. In this case the local authority is Wicklow County Council. The fire authority is required under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981 to make provision for the delivery of fire services in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade and adequate provision for reception of and response to calls for the assistance of the fire brigade.

The provision of a full-time service for Bray has been a matter of public debate for some years. I am aware that the chief fire officer prepared a report for the local authority on options with regard to fire service provision in Bray. This report was put out for public consultation and, following further consideration by the council, I understand that its representative has written to the Minister seeking a meeting. In the meantime, however, I will take this opportunity to clarify a number of points on fire service provision.

At present, full-time fire brigades operate in larger urban areas, that is the cities of Cork, Dublin, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. The number of turnouts where a full-time service exists is more than 1,000 a year. The Farrell Grant Sparks report, Review of Fire Safety and Fire Services in Ireland, recommended the development of a risk-based approach to fire cover standards. The report envisaged that this new approach would help identify risk patterns and vulnerable sectors of the community and help local authority management in the determination of cover and allocation of resources. Under the fire services change programme the development of a risk-based approach to emergency cover was one of the areas included for advancement. During the process this was changed to a risk-based approach to fire safety management to reflect the need for integration of safety initiatives with emergency response. The procurement process is under way and when the process is completed and a contractor in place, fire authorities will have assistance in carrying out risk analysis in their functional areas in accordance with the system and determining the allocation of resources.

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