John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to provide adequate funding to upgrade the Tallaght fire station, Dublin 24; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34958/11]

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 infrastructural projects.

I recently indicated that support of € 300,000 from my Department's fire services capital programme would be made available, as an exceptional measure, to supplement funding announced by Dublin City Council to upgrade facilities at Tallaght fire Station.

Given the current constraints on public finances, 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.