Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)

Ba mhaith liom ceist maidir le stáisiún dóiteáin i Mainistir Eimhín i gCill Dara Theas a chur ar an Taoiseach inniu. I want to raise the urgent need for a modern, fit-for-purpose fire station in Monasterevin. The current building is outdated and inadequate, and it no longer meets the needs of a growing town. The previously proposed site on the Dublin road has fallen through again, leaving the project stalled while the community waits. Other viable sites have been identified in the area, so this project is possible if we have the political will to back it up. It is not only a planning issue but a matter of public safety. The latest report by the National Oversight and Audit Commission, NOAC, shows that Kildare’s retained brigade takes an average of seven minutes and five seconds to mobilise after being notified of an emergency. This is significantly higher than the national average, which is five minutes and 31 seconds. When Monasterevin does not even have a fit-for-purpose station, those delays become even more dangerous. Will the Taoiseach ensure that the purchase of a newly identified site is fast-tracked, that funding is released immediately and that a new station is delivered within this term?

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