John Paul O'Shea (Cork North-West, Fine Gael)
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527. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government further to the publication of the Electricity Storage Policy Framework for Ireland in July 2024, the engagement that has taken place with his Department and the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, local planning authorities and An Bord Pleanála in relation to addressing the safety and regulation concerns now widespread in communities across the country where new electricity storage installations are proposed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37541/25]

James Browne (Wexford, 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. The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM), which is a section in my Department, supports fire authorities through setting general policy and national standards, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.

The lead Government Department with responsibility for the Electricity Storage Policy Framework is the Department of Climate Energy and the Environment who have consulted with the NDFEM on development of the Framework.

With regard to the Planning function, as is outlined in Section 4.4.3 of the Electric Storage Framework;

Under Section 13 of the Fire Services Acts 198, Fire Authorities may advise a planning authority in relation to applications for planning permission for development and permission for the retention of structures, Section 34 (which relates to permission for development and for the retention of structures) of the Planning and Development Act 2000.

When responding to the outbreak of fire in such facilities, fire services operate the National Incident Command System with Dynamic Risk Assessment to ensure safe firefighting operations at the scene of such fires.