Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 152: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the position regarding the provision of a fire station in Tuam, County Galway. [5891/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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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 and 2003. My Department supports the local fire authorities through setting of general policy, training support and issue of guidance on operational and other related matters, and the provision of capital funding.

An application to replace the existing fire station in Tuam was approved in principle by the Department in 2007. A site for the project has been purchased by the fire authority and the site cost has been recouped by my Department. The design process has also been completed. The provision of funding to bring the project to construction phase will be considered under future capital programmes within the constraints of available resources, and will have regard to the fire authority's priorities, the spread of existing facilities and the totality of requests from other fire authorities for available funding.