Pauline Tully (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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605. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government to provide details for all capital plans for the development of fire services in counties Cavan and Monaghan. [45005/24]

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 & 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 priority infrastructure 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;
• value for money offered by the proposal; and
• the totality of requests from all authorities.

Fire station projects at Ballyjamesduff and Ballybay were prioritised by Cavan and Monaghan County Councils respectively for inclusion in the 2021 – 2025 Capital programme. Cavan County Council was approved circa €1.75 million to fund the construction of a new Ballyjamesduff Fire station. Monaghan County Council was approved circa €3.26 million to fund the construction of a new fire station at Ballybay.

In the lifetime of the 2021 – 2025 Fire Services Capital Programme, to date Cavan Fire Service has received circa €575,000 in capital funding to support the purchase of frontline appliances and equipment including a new Brigade Mechanics van and funding for the allocation of a new Class B fire tender under the 2021 – 2023 Office of Government Procurement (OGP) framework.

Cavan Fire Service has also received funding approval for approximately €1.3 million to support the planned purchase of appliances and equipment as detailed below, including a further allocation of two new Class B fire tenders under the 2023 – 2025 OGP Framework.

Cavan Outstanding Approvals

In the lifetime of the 2021 – 2025 Fire Services Capital Programme to date Monaghan Fire Service has received circa €1.4 million in capital funding to support the purchase of frontline appliances and equipment including funding for a new Emergency tender appliance and the allocation of a new Class B fire tender under the 2021 – 2023 Office of Government Procurement (OGP) framework.

Monaghan Fire Service has also received funding approval for circa €940,000 to support the planned purchase of appliances and equipment as detailed below, including the allocation of a further new Class B fire tender under the 2023 – 2025 OGP Framework.

Monaghan Outstanding Claims