My Department assists fire authorities in the provision of a fire service, including the provision of fire appliances, by providing capital grants towards certain expenditure incurred. The distribution of these appliances among its fire stations is a matter for each local fire authority.
Under the fire services capital programme for each of the years 1999, 2000 and 2001, Waterford County Council has been given approval to seek tenders for a new fire appliance The appliance under the 1999 programme, costing approximately £184,000, is expected to be delivered in May this year.
A tender proposal for the appliance from the 2000 programme was received in my Department on 30 January 2001 and is under examination at present. Exchequer grants will be provided in due course to meet the cost of all three appliances.