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

I reassure the Deputy that Offaly County council has made significant progress and indicated the current Clara fire station is located on a confined site, with an insufficient footprint preventing the prospect of an upgrade or extension works due to the current fire station site. Departmental officials have linked with the council regarding availability on the council's preferred site location at Raheen in Clara.

Offaly County Council previously published tenders for a lead design consultant to oversee the design, planning and construction of the new fire station at Clara in June 2021, seeking to engage a single firm of design consultants to deliver and manage the project through planning and detailed design, as well as tendering and the supervising of construction. The Department has conveyed approval to progress the project to full design and cost appraisal stage and the council is currently progressing the project through the appointment of design consultants. In light of recent inflation cost increases in the construction sector, the council was advised to ensure the design and specification for the proposed new fire station not exceed the minimum necessary for provision of a fire station and associated facilities at Clara. The council has indicated its capacity and intention to progress this project quickly. That offers reassurance in terms of the progress of the project. That element relating to cost constraints is significant and I am sure it is part of the design brief not to exceed costs. It is within the capacity of the local authority to deliver that within budget. I hope that gives reassurance that the project will proceed as planned.

See this speech in context