Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 377: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that fire service response time of one hour 45 minutes in part of south Connemara is contravening fire and safety best practice, in terms of national policy. [36286/11]

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 and 2003. Accordingly, the issue of fire services mobilisation and response in South Connemara is a matter for the Galway fire authority.

Fire services for Galway city and county are delivered by Galway County Council on the basis of an agreement between the two local authorities. The Galway city brigade is staffed by 36 full-time firefighters with backup from rostered and retained city firefighters. The brigade covers the city and areas west of it, including south Connemara. Fire cover in all the other brigade areas is provided by the retained staffing system.

A review of fire services in Galway is being undertaken by Galway County Council. This review, which is being conducted throughout the city and county, including the south Connemara region, is being informed by an integrated risk management analysis. The output from the analysis is intended to inform local decision-making on the effective deployment and use of resources, with a view to ensuring an appropriate balance between prevention, protection and response measures.

My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy, the provision of training support, the issue of guidance on operational and other related matters and through the provision of capital funding. National guidance on a wide variety of community fire safety issues is being developed by the Department's national directorate for fire and emergency management in collaboration with fire services. It is expected that this Guidance will be of assistance to Galway County Council in the work that is under way.

The key approach to ensuring the safety of communities from fire, including those who live in the more remote areas of the country, is the provision of smoke alarms in all dwellings, and ensuring that these are working to give early warning of fire to those who may be in a building where there is a fire.

Seán Kyne (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Question 378: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will meet the Galway county manager to discuss the provision of fire services, in view of the seriousness of the issue and in view of the budget preparations currently under way at county council level and at departmental level. [36287/11]

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 and 2003.

I have not received a request to meet with the County Manager from Galway on the provision of fire services or related budgetary matters. My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy, the provision of training support, the issue of guidance on operational and other related matters and through the provision of capital funding.

A primary concern of my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management is the development of consistent and effective fire services to keep communities safe from fire and other emergencies. Value for money is also a key concern and future developments, including investment in infrastructure, will need to be brought to fruition within tighter resource constraints.

Further support from the Department's fire services capital programme for Galway County Council in the period ahead will have regard to the 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.