Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

After being closed on a temporary basis in 2017, Castlerea fire station in my constituency was permanently closed last July. I raised the matter here at the time. In parliamentary question replies and correspondence to me since, the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, consistently stated the fire station was closed due to internal staffing matters. He is either being misled or misinformed because I attended the council meeting at which the announcement was made and it was done following a review of the fire ground in Castlerea, which apparently indicated we no longer need a fire service.

Castlerea is the second-largest town in County Roscommon and it also has one of the largest prisons in the State. There is now no prison in the State further away from a fire station than the prison in Castlerea. Will the Tánaiste ask the Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, at least to read the report that led to the closure of the fire station and consider reviewing the decision?

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