Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received an application from Galway County Council for a new fire station in South Connemara; when a decision will issue on such an application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1111/13]

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. 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.

In keeping with other reductions, it has been necessary to reduce the fire service capital allocation. Priority has been given to supporting the national fire appliance fleet and, in this regard, Galway Fire and Rescue Service has received an allocation for a new appliance which is currently under construction. My Department understands that a review of fire services in Galway is currently being undertaken by Galway County Council. This review, 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. I understand that this review is at an advanced stage, and will have regard to my Department's national policy document, Keeping Communities Safe (KCS), which will be published in the near future.