John Lahart (Dublin South West, Fianna Fail)
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594. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the status of a request by Tallaght Fire Station for the provision of an aerial platform at the station; if his attention has been drawn to the importance of having a permanent aerial platform in place at Tallaght Fire Station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2168/22]

Darragh 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.

Dublin City Council provides fire prevention, and fire and rescue services, for the four Dublin local authorities: Dublin City, South Dublin, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Councils.

In December 2020, I announced a new Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. This new Programme will see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire appliances (engines).

Dublin City Council was allocated four new “Class B” fire appliances in the latest Appliance Procurement Programme at an approximate cost of €1.9m. Dublin City Council was also grant-aided to procure three new “Class B” fire appliances in each of the 2015 and 2017 Programmes. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet is one of the key national priorities for the Fire Services Capital Programme.

In July 2019, the Council was approved to purchase a new turntable ladder/ aerial appliance at a cost of €800,000 plus VAT. In September 2021, Dublin City Council requested approval for the purchase of a new turntable ladder at a cost of €850,000. This application was approved by my Department in November 2021.

All requests for funding from my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme have regard to local authorities’ own priorities, consistency with national policy, the value for money offered by proposals and the totality of requests from fire authorities.