Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 124: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the future or intended operational structures for the part-time fire services operated by the various local authorities having particular regard to the need to retain such emergency services at optimum strength at all times; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15868/11]

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, the provision of a premises and the making of such other provisions as it considers necessary or desirable, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and guidance, and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs incurred by fire authorities in relation to the approved purchase of fire appliances and equipment.

Fire services are provided by the 37 statutorily designated fire authorities, and are accordingly structured around the principal local authorities. Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford cities have full-time fire services, and Drogheda and Dundalk have a combined full-time and retained service. All other fire services are provided by retained services. The retained services provide an excellent model of service delivery where, to a substantial degree, a contingent rather than continuous capability is required. Requests from local authorities for staffing in the fire services have been approved by my Department within the Employment Control Framework.

Although structured around the principal local authorities, for operational purposes there is a sharing of services among a number of fire authorities, such as in Dublin, Galway, Louth and Westmeath. The fire services have been to the fore also in using the "shared services" concept, and have provided both training and mobilisation and communications facilities on a regional basis for some years now. I have recently approved a new programme of joint procurement of fire appliances which further extends this concept.

The national blueprint and programme for developing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Fire Services is set out in the recently agreed Irish Fire Services National Development Framework 2010-2015. The Framework sets out policies and key actions in the areas of Fire Services Role in Society; National Processes and Standards; Staff Learning and Development; Quality Assurance Systems and Reporting Performance; and Service Infrastructure and Legislative Support.