Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein)
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363. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government his Department’s plans for the fire stations in Ballyshannon and Bundoran; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52001/22]

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 Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy and progressing legislation, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.

In December 2020, I announced a new Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of proposals for station works etc. were received. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of the:

- Area Risk Categorisation of the fire station (population, fire risks, etc.);

- established Health and Safety needs;

- state of development of the project (had a new site been acquired?, etc.); and

- value for money offered by the proposal.

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 engines. In order to maximise the available Capital Programme funding, my Department re-assesses the status of projects in the Programme on an annual basis, and some flexibility is normally available to advance projects that are ready and that offer best value-for-money taking account of the state of readiness of projects more generally.

Project consideration stages in my Department include submission of preliminary and detailed appraisals; submission of design brief; selection of site; application for approval in principle; appointment of design consultants; submission of a preliminary design; planning application; submission of preliminary cost plan, detailed design and cost plans; and tender process and construction stages - each step subject to approval from my Department.

In July 2022, representatives of Donegal County Council and the Donegal Municipal district met with officials of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM) from my Department regarding plans for Ballyshannon and Bundoran Fire stations.

At the July meeting the NDFEM officials outlined the application process including the provision of a Business Case, in order that an assessment might be made under the Public Spending Code rules set out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the provision of funding allocation.

Once a business case is received by my Department, it will be evaluated and further considered in the context of the funding available under the existing Capital Programme.