Claire Kerrane (Roscommon-Galway, Sinn Fein)
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494. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the current status of the proposed new fire station in Clara, County Offaly. [64955/25]

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 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.

Fire station project consideration stages from a Department perspective include submission of preliminary and detailed appraisals; submission of design brief; selection of a site; application for approval in principle; appointment of design consultants; submission of a preliminary design; planning application; submission of a preliminary cost plan, detailed design and cost plans; and tender process and construction stages - each step subject to approval from my Department.

Offaly County Council previously indicated the replacement of Clara fire station as a priority for the local authority. The Clara fire station project was not initially included in my Departments Fire Services Capital Programme 2021 - 2025, however, 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. Following a capital reappraisal, my Department took the decision to bring forward the Clara fire station project for inclusion in the fire services capital programme 2021 - 2025.

Offaly County Council subsequently 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 currently progressing the project through the detailed design stage of the project.

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