Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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Question 420: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if funding will be made available to purchase land to enable the building of a new fire station in Ferbane, County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18420/11]

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 emergency equipment as well as construction and upgrading of fire stations.

A proposal by Offaly County Council to construct a replacement station in Ferbane was approved in principle by the Department in 2008 and the site purchase proposal in respect of the replacement station is currently under consideration in my Department.

Further support from my Department under the fire services capital programme in the period ahead will have regard to Offaly County Council's priorities, the extent of previous investment, the value for money offered by proposals, the spread of existing facilities and the totality of demands from fire authorities countrywide.