Eoghan Kenny (Cork North-Central, Labour)
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1414. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the timeframe for sourcing a suitable site for the south-west fire station in Cork following the publication of the fire cover review; if the project will be expedited considering the lack of a fire service in the general area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40980/25]

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 & 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 infrastructural projects.

In June 2025 Cork City Council published an updated strategic review report which made recommendations of a three phased approach to modernising fire services aligning with the growth of Cork city and its evolving risk profile.

Included within the first phase of recommended development is a new full-time station in the south-western suburbs, to be located adjacent to the N40 South Ring Road, optimising fire cover. It is noted that this option would offer improved response times, whilst also being closer to major population centres, business, industry, and large buildings such as hospitals and colleges. Identification of a suitable site based on these criteria is a matter for Cork City Council.

To date my Department has not received a funding application for the outlined Phase 1 proposals of the most recent Crowe review report to Cork City Council on Cork City Fire Cover.

My Department will be identifying new priority fire service infrastructural projects for the period 2026 – 2030 in the coming months. My Department will work closely with Cork City Council to progress identified priority infrastructural projects, within the context of the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide for capital funding.