Dinny McGinley (Donegal South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his plans to improve fire services in the Ballyshannon/Bundoran areas; if it is his intention to have separate stations in Ballyshannon and Bundoran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11019/08]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of a fire service in a fire authority's functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs, the provision of premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of the individual fire authority under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. The Department's role is one of supporting and assisting local authorities in delivering fire services through the setting of general policy and the provision of funding under the fire service capital programme.

In March 2000, Donegal County Council proposed to the Department a building programme to replace all 15 fire stations in the county. Substantial progress has now been made and the Council, with Department funding, has completed 10 stations since 1998 at a combined cost of over €8.5 million: Milford (1998), Buncrana (2000), Letterkenny (HQ) and Falcarragh (both in 2003), Carndonagh and Donegal Town (both in 2004), Killybegs (2005), Dungloe, Glenties and Moville (all three in 2007). Stations at Gweedore and Stranorlar are currently in construction phase at a combined cost of approximately €1.75 million. As part of its original building programme, Donegal County Council proposed a new fire station in the Ballyshannon/Bundoran areas. In October 2006, the Department requested Donegal County Council to prepare and submit a capital appraisal in relation to this proposal, in accordance with the Department of Finance Guidelines for the Appraisal and Management of Capital Expenditure Proposals in the Public Sector.

In January 2007, Donegal County Council submitted an independent capital appraisal to the Department on the case for the redevelopment of the existing fire stations at Ballyshannon and Bundoran. The capital appraisal concluded that the most economically and operationally advantageous option would be the amalgamation of the existing fire stations at Ballyshannon and Bundoran into a combined unit at Finner. This conclusion was based both on the estimated construction cost and ongoing maintenance costs. The capital appraisal also concluded that the fire cover for both communities currently addressed by the two existing stations could be achieved by one fire station and this is currently being reviewed by the Council at the request of the Department. The Department has also requested the Council management to consult with the crews in both fire stations to explore this option and a response is expected shortly.

The Council has indicated that there is no suitable site in either town. The Deputy will be aware that the fire station in Bundoran is in a unsuitable location and that the Council is unable to identify an alternative site in Ballyshannon. I am reluctant to commit capital resource to the refurbishment of these two existing fire stations in their current locations and I understand that suitable alternative sites are not available. While it has not been possible to provide funding for a new fire station at Finner as part of the 2007 fire services capital programme, nevertheless, I believe that a robust case has been made for the improvement of facilities and fire cover in the Ballyshannon/Bundoran areas by the provision of a single station at Finner. The provision of exchequer funding for a fire station at Finner will be considered under the 2008 capital programme, which I hope to announce shortly.