Written answers

Wednesday, 20 April 2016

Department of Environment, Community and Local Government

Fire Stations Provision

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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478. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the proposal to provide a new fire station in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan; the stage this project is at; the estimated time line for the tendering process; the estimated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7698/16]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary, 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 the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.

In February 2016, I announced a five-year Fire Services Capital Programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on the current annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to Training Centres.

A fire station project in Ballyjamesduff is included in this programme under the list of priority projects to be progressed for 2018. Original project documentation, including contract documents and a cost plan were received in my Department in 2011, indicating a total project cost of €864,000.

My Department is liaising with relevant local authorities to progress proposed projects in the programme within the indicated timescales. The projects in the capital programme will be reassessed on an annual basis and priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value-for-money and to take account of the state of readiness of individual projects.

Photo of Brendan SmithBrendan Smith (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail)
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479. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the status of the proposal to provide a new fire station in Virginia, County Cavan; the stage this project is at; the estimated time line for the tendering process; the estimated costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7699/16]

Photo of Alan KellyAlan Kelly (Tipperary, 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 the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.

In February 2016, I announced a five-year Fire Services Capital Programme with an allocation of €40 million, based on the current annual €8 million allocation, to be used for the purchase of fire appliances and specialist equipment, building or upgrading of prioritised Fire Stations, an upgrade of the Communications and Mobilisation system and improvements to Training Centres.

A fire station project in Virginia is included in this programme under the list of priority projects to be progressed in 2016. Original project documentation including contract documents and a cost plan were received in my Department in 2011, indicating a total project cost of €864,000. My Department is liaising with relevant local authorities to progress proposed projects in the programme within the indicated timescales. An updated cost plan was requested in February 2016.

The projects in the capital programme will be reassessed on an annual basis and priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value-for-money and to take account of the state of readiness of individual projects.

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