Written answers

Tuesday, 23 October 2018

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Fire Service

Photo of Brendan GriffinBrendan Griffin (Kerry, Fine Gael)
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692. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43662/18]

Photo of Damien EnglishDamien English (Meath West, 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 and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under section 10 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, my Department 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.

An upgrade of Killarney fire station is provided for in the current five-year programme. Updated project documentation, including a capital appraisal and detailed cost plan, was received in my Department in March 2017, indicating a total project cost of €498,500. In April 2017, my Department approved Kerry County Council to proceed to tender for the proposed works and a firm tender proposal is awaited from the Council.

The projects in the capital programme are 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 the projects.

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