Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the 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.

Dublin City Council provides fire services on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet is one of the key national priorities for the Fire Services Capital Programme. I have recently announced a new national joint - procurement programme to purchase 20 fire appliances, under which Dublin Fire Brigade received an allocation for three new appliances. They subsequently requested and have received approval to substitute the cost of one of these ‘Class B’ appliances to upgrade one existing turntable ladder.

All requests for funding from my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme will be considered within the constraints of available resources and will have regard to local authorities’ priorities, the value for money offered by proposals and the totality of requests from fire authorities.