Seán Kenny (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the budget allocated to the Fire Services Capital Programme for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011; the actual amount spent in each of these years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54239/12]

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

Capital funding allocated for the years 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and the actual amount spent in each of these years was as follows:-

Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as the current national priority. In that context and in order to deliver cost efficiencies, I have approved an innovative programme which is currently underway involving fire authorities aggregating demand and jointly procuring 17 fire appliances. Fire services infrastructure is generally in a very good condition as a result of investment in appliances, equipment and fire stations to date. Given the current constraints on public finances, further support from my Department’s fire services capital programme will have regard to the budgetary situation, national priorities, the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide, their priorities and the status of existing facilities , the extent of previous investment in fire services and the value for money offered by proposals.