Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 140: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his preferred options for the future development of the part-time fire services throughout the country; the extent to which full-time service is likely to emerge in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13387/12]

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 setting of general policy, training support and issue of guidance on operational and other related matters, and the provision of capital funding.

The cities of Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford have full-time fire services, and Drogheda and Dundalk have a combined full-time and retained service. Fire services in all other communities are provided by the retained system where, in the event of an emergency call, the relevant group of fire-fighters are alerted, respond to their fire station and turn-out to the incident in their fire appliance. The retained services provide an excellent model of service delivery where, to a substantial degree, a contingent rather than continuous capability is required. I have no plans to change fundamentally what I regard as an excellent community service delivered by the local authorities.

Nonetheless, there is a constant need for progress with all services. The Irish Fire Services National Development Framework 2010-2015 (available at www.environ.ie ) sets out a national blueprint and programme for developing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Fire Services. It sets out key actions in a number of areas, and these are being progressed in a collaborative fashion between the local authorities and the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in my Department.