Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 312: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if it is his intention to restructure the provision of emergency services in light of the likely disruption resulting from the reduction of 37% in the funding provision for local authority fire and emergency services; if he has given a direction to local authorities in regard to future management of emergency services within this reduced budget; if he will indicate the reason the reduction in funding in this area is proportionately so much greater than the cut backs in other State services; if he plans to set up a national fire service as recommended in the Farrell Grant Sparks report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47847/10]

Michael Finneran (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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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 premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department's role is one of supporting and assisting local authorities in delivering fire services through setting of general policy and the provision of funding under the fire service capital programme.

The purpose of my Department's fire service capital programme is the replacement and renewal of existing local authority fire service infrastructure and the maintenance of the fire vehicle fleet so that fire service buildings and vehicles/ equipment are fit for purpose. My Department provides capital grants (typically 100%) to:

· Construct modern fire stations and for improvement works to existing stations

· Acquire front line fire appliances, (including specialist appliances) and

· Acquire emergency and rescue equipment and communications equipment.

There have been very significant improvements in fire service infrastructure, fleet and equipment in recent years, and Ireland is now acknowledged to have a first rate infrastructure for its fire service. The last four years have seen a capital investment of almost €90 million under the capital programme. In keeping with other reductions, it has been necessary to reduce the fire service capital allocation for 2011, but given the current excellent state of fire service infrastructure, I see no reason for this to impact on or disrupt service delivery in any way.

There is no need for restructuring the current arrangement for the provision of fire and emergency services on foot of the change in capital funding referred to above. In fact, the Farrell Grant Sparks report referred to in the Question specifically states at paragraph 5.58 that it was not recommending any change to the existing statutory role of the local Fire Authorities.

What Farrell Grant Sparks recommended was a strengthening of arrangements at national level to ensure strong national leadership, direction and performance monitoring of local authority services. On 22 June 2009, together with Mr. John Gormley, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government I launched the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management to address conclusively the main Farrell Grant Sparks recommendation on revised institutional arrangements at central Government level.

The National Directorate puts in place a management structure at central level with a clear mandate and visibility to develop national policy and standards and to drive consistent achievement of quality services by local authorities, while not interfering with existing and appropriate political accountability. The Directorate is not a national fire service, and fire authorities continue to deliver this service under the aegis of the local government system.