Written answers

Tuesday, 8 December 2020

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Fire Stations

Photo of Ciarán CannonCiarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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270. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of the development of a new fire station in Athenry town, County Galway (details supplied). [41211/20]

Photo of Darragh O'BrienDarragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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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 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 equipment and 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 five-year programme proposed the construction/refurbishment of twenty six fire stations. This included sixteen new builds and ten upgrade/refurbishment projects. 

A new fire station at Athenry was listed in this Capital Programme for annual review. Galway County Council has indicated that Athenry is their number one fire station priority. In October 2019, my Department issued approval in principle for the construction of a new fire station at Athenry. My Department will continue to work with Galway County Council to progress this project. 

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