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

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue of the new fire station at Clara, County Offaly. The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and progressing legislation, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.

In December 2020, the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage announced a new fire services capital programme for the period 2021 to 2025, with a funding allocation of €61 million. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of infrastructural proposals were received. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of: the area risk categorisation of the fire station; established health and safety needs; the state of development of the project, that is, whether the preferred site had been acquired; and the value for money offered by the proposal. That programme was envisaged to see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments and the allocation of 35 new fire engines.

To maximise the available capital programme funding, my Department can reassess the status of projects in the programme annually and flexibility is normally available to advance projects that are ready and offer best value for money, taking account of the state of readiness of projects more generally. Any proposal received by my Department requesting further support from the fire services capital programme is considered with regard to national priorities and the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide. Project consideration stages in my Department include: submission of preliminary and detailed appraisals; submission of design brief; selection of site; application for approval in principle; appointment of design consultants; submission of a preliminary design; planning application; and cost plan, tender process and construction stages.

Offaly County Council previously indicated the replacement of Clara fire station and the development, extension and upgrade works to the Tullamore BA training centre and the Tullamore central fire station were the priority projects for Offaly fire and rescue service. In September, my Department approved Offaly County Council to accept a tender in excess of €3.8 million for the redevelopment works at the Tullamore fire services training centre and contracts were signed earlier this year. That project is in construction phase.

All projects in the capital programme may be reassessed annually to maximise available capital programme funding. That is the question the Deputy is asking. Priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value for money and to take account of the state of readiness of projects, based on ongoing engagement with local authorities in respect of prioritisation.

The Clara fire station project was not initially included in the Minister’s fire services capital programme 2021-2025, but, as an interim measure, the council took steps to show the readiness of the Clara fire station project and increase the potential for capital funding to be granted should that possibility arise. Given the excellent progression to date of the fire services capital programme, which has seen the completion of six fire stations, with several other priority projects in build phase and others nearing final planning, the decision to accommodate the proposed new Clara fire station project within the fire services capital programme 2021-2025 was taken in October this year.

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