Michael D Higgins (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the progress made to date with regard to implementation of the recommendations made in the Farrell Grant report on the fire service; if it is intended to establish the National Authority for Fire and Civil Protection/Emergency Services as recommended in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22812/07]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 306: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the steps he will take to provide a fire service fit to meet Ireland's needs in the 21st century; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23028/07]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 306 together.

The Department has implemented a number of the important recommendations of the report: Review of Fire Safety and Fire Services in Ireland (Farrell Grant Sparks Report). These include in particular the enactment of the Licensing of Indoor Events Act 2003, which addressed a number of legislative changes called for in the Review. In addition, the high level of capital investment in the fire service has been continued and now stands in excess of €20 million per annum. The Inter-Departmental Committee on Major Emergency Planning, chaired by the Department, completed a review of the Major Emergency Management Framework on which local authority, Health Service Executive and Garda Síochána Major Emergency Plans are based and the updated Framework is being implemented.

In February 2005, the previous Government announced a Fire Services Change Programme, 2005 to 2007, to implement key fire services and fire safety recommendations of the Farrell Grant Sparks Report. This Programme set out the strategy for the future development of the fire service and included a number of priority measures addressing the development of community fire safety programmes, the development of a risk based approach to safety management, the introduction of a competency-based approach to recruitment, retention and career progression in the fire service and the enhancement of health, safety and welfare programmes within the fire service. Work under the Change Programme was carried out by a dedicated Project Team, with a number of supporting structures, and all of the stakeholders participated fully in the process. A report on progress achieved over the two year period was published in June 2007 and is available on my Department's website, www.environ.ie. I am reviewing the options for the next phase of the change programme having regard to the Farrell Grant Sparks recommendations and the need to continue to bring about real and substantive change so that the fire service is in line with international standards.