Ciara Conway (Waterford, Labour)
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409. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government if he will confirm if funding is to be made available for upgrades or work on a fire station (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39722/13]

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.

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 emergency equipment as well as construction and upgrading of fire stations. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as a key national priority for the available capital funds.

I recently announced the provision of funding for improvements to the Fire Station at Portlaw, Co. Waterford. A total of €175,000 will be made available under the 2014 Fire Services Capital Programme to facilitate this upgrade.