Niall Collins (Limerick County, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

1052. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his plans to establish a facility (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7435/20]

Damien English (Meath West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

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.

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 runs a national training programme for fire services which provides an annual programme of courses for local authority fire service officers, supporting fire authorities in delivering efficient and effective fire and rescue services. The programme is delivered through a number of regional training centres and this has proved to be an effective and efficient approach over many years. My Department continues to support capital developments in these regional training centres and regards them as a more effective service delivery model rather than a single dedicated site, considering the fire service training needs, numbers of personnel and geographical considerations across the country . There are currently no plans to develop a national training centre.

I understand that Limerick City and County Council has acquired a large industrial site adjacent to the fire station in Kilmallock with plans to develop a training centre there. My Department has requested a detailed proposal from the Council.