Malcolm Noonan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

To respond to the point made by the Deputy about the onset of Covid-19, the pandemic has presented challenges to the fire services in respect of the delivery of services. Our Department has monitored regular reports from the fire services in respect of the impact of the pandemic on staffing levels and the business community. In order to maximise the available capital funding programme, our Department reassesses the status of projects in the programme on an annual basis and some flexibility is normally available to advance projects that are ready and offer the best value for money, taking into account the state of readiness of projects and work generally.

The provision of fire services and its functions, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigade, assessment of fire cover needs and provision of fire service premises, are statutory functions of the individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, as was stated. Our Department continues to support fire authorities through the setting of general policy, the provision of a central training programme and the issuing of guidance on operational and other matters. I agree that all resources should be deployed and the local authority should give further consideration to the matter. The Minister, Deputy Darragh O'Brien, and I will commit to offer our support to whatever the local authority deems appropriate within its functional area.

I agree with the Deputy wholeheartedly on the community first responders. We will be looking at a massive increase in our population in coming months with the intake of Ukrainian refugees. If that transpires as it may do, we will need to deploy all resources available to the State to try to support communities at this very critical time.

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