Written answers

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Department of Housing, Planning, and Local Government

Fire Service

Photo of Charles WardCharles Ward (Donegal, 100% Redress Party)
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1490. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the number of requests his Department has received from Donegal County Council seeking funding to purchase additional fire appliances and-or emergency specialist equipment for Donegal fire services in each of the years 2023 to 2024 and to date in 2025; the number of funding requests that were approved, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41851/25]

Photo of James BrowneJames 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. My Department supports 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 December 2020, Minister O’Brien 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 (suitable site acquired, etc.);
  • value for money offered by the proposal; and
  • the totality of requests from all authorities.
The 2021 - 2025 Programme was projected to see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire appliances.

Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as a key national priority that is why, in October 2023, Minister O’Brien announced the allocation of an additional 40 new fire appliances at a cost of €20.8m. From this new framework Donegal County Council has been allocated a further two new Class B fire appliances.

From 2023 to date, in excess of €1.7 million in grant assistance funding has been approved through the fire services capital programme for 14 grant assistance applications from Donegal County Council. The specific details requested are outlined in the table below.

Infrastructure
Count Year Description Decision
Count Year Description Decision
1 2023 Extension to Letterkenny Fire Station Council approved to tender for design


Equipment & Appliances
Count Year Description Comments
Count Year Description Comments
2 2025 Crew Cab Filtration Units x 2 Approved
3 2024 Breathing Apparatus Entry Control Boards Approved
4 2024 Purchase and Fit out of 2 x AWD Vans Approved
5 2024 PPE for new Firefighters (WRC Agreement) Approved
6 2024 ELSI for 13.5 m Ladders Approved
7 2024 Fog Spikes / Drilling Equipment Approved
8 2024 RTC Cutting Equipment Approved
9 2023 Water Tanker Approved
2023 Wildland/ Multi role kits Not Approved - outside the remit of the Capital Programme
10 2023 Rostered Senior Fire Officer Vehicle Approved
11 2023 Electric Vehicle Blankets x 22 Approved
12 2023 Fire Service Van Approved
13 2023 2023-2025 Class B Fire Appliance Approved
14 2023 2023-2025 Class B Fire Appliance Approved

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