Patricia Ryan (Kildare South, Sinn Fein)
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145. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government if he will clarify if there are plans for a new fire station in Monasterevin; and if so, if he will provide a timeframe for same. [43097/23]

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.

In December 2020, I announced the 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 (is site acquired, etc.); and
• value for money offered by the proposal.

Any proposal received by my Department requesting further support from the Fire Services capital programme is considered with regard to national priorities and the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide.

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.

Kildare County Council previously indicated their top priority was the construction of a new fire station at Maynooth. My Department approved the council to seek tenders for a new Maynooth fire station in April 2023 and will continue to liaise closely on that project.

Kildare County Council had also previously indicated that the replacement of Monasterevin Fire Station would be priority going forward, however my Department has not received a proposal for works in relation to Monasterevin fire station to date. While this project is not currently included in my Department's construction programme, all projects in the capital programme can be reassessed on an annual basis to maximise available capital programme funding. Priority may be adjusted to bring forward projects offering best value-for-money and to take account of the state of readiness of the projects, based on ongoing engagement with local authorities in respect of prioritisation and the totality of requests from all fire authorities.