Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding new equipment and additional resources for the fire services here. [17710/06]

Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of a fire service, including equipment, training and the employment of both full-time and retained fire-fighting personnel, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities and my Department has no direct role in this matter. My Department supports the local fire authorities through the setting of general policy, the provision of capital funding, the issue of guidance to fire authorities in relation to fire prevention and operational matters and other such initiatives.

Over the past 25 years, almost €240 million has been provided to local fire authorities under the fire services capital programme for the provision of new and refurbished fire stations and the purchase of fire appliances and other equipment. At this stage, over two-thirds of our fire stations, including almost all of the busiest stations, have been replaced, we have a modern fleet of front-line fire appliances, and we have a modern emergency response communications system. In the current year almost €20m has been allocated to the Fire Services capital programme. This allocation will be used to further modernise and update the resources available to the fire authorities. In addition, since 2001, my Department has provided almost €4.2 billion in general purpose grants to assist the local authorities in carrying out their statutory functions, including the provision of fire services.