Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 432, 428, 429 and 431 together.

Funding provided by my Department to each local authority for the delivery of housing programmes in each of the years 2019 to 2022 is set out in the tables attached.

The detailed breakdown of 2023 housing expenditure, by local authority and delivery stream, is being finalised within my Department and will be available in the coming weeks. However, in respect of Waterford City and County Council, the provisional 2023 funding for the delivery of housing programmes amounts to €79m.

It should be noted that the data in the attached tables reflects the housing funding provided directly to local authorities only. In addition to the funds channelled to local authorities, my Department also provides funding to other bodies, for example, the Housing Agency, for the management and operation of a broad range of housing programmes, including for the delivery of social and affordable homes.

Budget 2024 provided for continued record investment in Housing with €4.25bn in Exchequer funding for the delivery of housing programmes, comprising capital funding of €2.7bn and current funding of €1.5bn. The Capital provision of €2.7bn will be supplemented by Land Development Agency (LDA) investment and Housing Finance Agency (HFA) lending resulting in an overall capital provision of over €5bn in 2024.

Detailed information in respect of the Housing elements of Budget 2024 are set out in the 2024 Expenditure Measures Report: gov.ie - Budget 2024: Expenditure Reports (www.gov.ie) www.gov.ie/en/publication/df18e-budget-2024-expenditure-reports/ and in the 2024 Revised Estimates Volume: www.gov.ie/en/collection/e20037-revised-estimates/#2024.

Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 433 together.

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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003.

My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire safety and fire service provision, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects such as improvements to the network of fire stations and fire service training centres and the procurement of essential frontline fire appliances, ancillary vehicles and equipment.

Under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003, 31 local authorities provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures. Local authority fire services are delivered by approximately 3,300 local authority staff engaged at 217 fire stations nationwide, with 16 of these stations staffed by full-time firefighters, a further 4 are mixed full-time and retained, and 197 are staffed by retained firefighters.

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.

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

Waterford City and County Council has indicated that Kilmacthomas remains their top priority project, and a new fire station at Kilmacthomas is provided for in the Fire services Capital Programme 2021 - 2025. I understand the council have sought Part 8 planning approval for the project and will seek to move quickly through the necessary phases to progress the construction of a new station for Kilmacthomas. My Department will continue to work with Waterford City and County Council to progress the new Kilmacthomas fire station project.

Detailed below is the annual spend, 2019 through to date in 2024, on fire service infrastructural projects from the fire services capital programme.