Pearse Doherty (Donegal South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 350: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the progress made to date on advancing the proposed fire station for Bundoran, County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26140/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.

Given the current constraints on public finances, further support from my Department's fire services capital programme to replace Bundoran fire station will have regard to the county council's priorities, the extent of previous investment in Donegal fire services, the location of existing facilities and the value for money offered by proposals, and the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide.

Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as a key national priority for the available capital funds. In that context, I have approved a new programme of joint procurement of 17 fire appliances which will involve fire authorities working together to aggregate demand and provide value for money.