Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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1346. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if funding will be provided for a new fire station at Ballybay, County Monaghan; when he expects this development to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6047/20]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
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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 Acts, 1981 and 2003. 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 an 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.

The Ballybay Station Project is included under the 2016 – 2020 Capital Programme. In order to maximise the Capital Programme funding available, my Department re-assesses the status of projects in the capital programme on an annual basis and priority may be adjusted to bring forward more advanced projects offering best value-for-money taking account of the state of readiness of projects in the programme more generally. My Department has requested a  detailed cost plan for this Project and once received will continue working with the Council to progress it.