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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities through general policy-setting and preparing legislation, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.

Offaly County Council previously indicated the replacement of Clara fire station as a priority for the local authority. All projects in the capital programme may be reassessed on an annual basis to maximise available capital funding, taking account of the state of the readiness of proposed projects.

The Clara fire station project was not initially included in my Fire Services Capital Programme 2021 - 2025, however, my Department has engaged with the Council on the availability of a new site located at Raheen and is satisfied as to the Council’s capacity to progress this project. Consequently, I took the decision to bring forward the Clara fire station project for inclusion in the Fire Services Capital Programme.

Offaly County Council submitted a design brief and invitation to tender documents for the design of the proposed fire station. Following the evaluation of this information, my Department issued approval to the Council to proceed to the tender stage for provision of design services. Offaly County Council is confident of progressing to the detailed design stage of the project in a short timeframe, aiming to move as quickly as possible through the necessary phases to progress the construction of a new station for Clara.

My Department will continue to support Offaly County Council to progress the new Clara fire station project.