Bobby Aylward (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 895: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government his priority list of fire stations for County Kilkenny; the location on the list of the Castlecomer, Graiguenamanagh and Urlingford stations and if he will make a statement on the status of each station. [26934/08]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 921: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government when the finance will be made available for a new fire station in Urlingford County Kilkenny. [27431/08]

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I propose to take Questions Nos. 895 and 921 together.

The provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises is a statutory function of individual fire authorities 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 setting of general policy and through the provision of funding under the fire service capital programme.

In relation to a fire station at Graiguenamanagh, I recently conveyed approval in principle to Kilkenny County Council to construct a replacement station. It is now a matter for the Council to advance the planning of the project.

Provision was made by the Department, under the 2005 capital programme, to recoup the costs in respect of construction of a replacement station at Castlecomer. In this context, the Department has informed the fire authority that the new forms of Construction Contracts for Public Works should be utilised in this project in accordance with relevant Department of Finance Circulars on construction procurement.

As regards the construction of a replacement fire station at Urlingford, an application for funding has been made by the fire authority. The funding application will be considered under future fire service capital programmes having regard to the fire authority's priorities and the competing demands from other authorities for the available funding under the programme.