Pat Breen (Clare, Fine Gael)
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Question 293: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if, in view of the recent flooding crisis and the prospects of further flooding in the next number of years, he will invest in the purchase of new fire tenders for the fire service which are available in the UK and have the capacity to pump out 25,000 gallons of water per minute compared to the current fire tenders which only have the capacity to pump 750 gallons of water per minute; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44356/09]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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The provision of a fire service, including the provision of fire fighting and emergency equipment, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981 and 2003. The Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs incurred by local authorities in relation to the purchase of fire fighting and emergency equipment. Applications from fire authorities for new fire tenders will be considered under the 2010 fire services capital programme.