Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 28 Sep 1995

Vol. 456 No. 2

Adjournment Debate. - Enniscorthy (Wexford) Fire Station.

Mr. Browne

(Wexford): I am grateful for the opportunity to raise on the Adjournment the need for a new fire station in Enniscorthy town. The old fire station occupied 27 years ago on a temporary basis by the fire personnel at that time is lacking in basic facilities. It is an old shed type building in deplorable condition. There is only one shower, one toilet, one heater and no eating facilities or diesel fumes extractors. There are 12 firemen working from it. The yard is in bad condition and is covered with muck and grass in wintertime. The roof leaks and has been patched up on numerous occasions over the years by Wexford County Council.

The firemen have been fighting for a new facility for the best part of 20 years. Some of them told me recently that despite repeated requests to different Governments they have not been successful. Last year when I was in the Department of the Environment a proposal for a fire station went to tender and we expected work on the new fire station would commence in March or April this year. Will the Minister explain why there has been such a lack of action since last December?

It is unfair that firemen who have given a tremendous service to the Enniscorthy area are asked to continue to work in such archaic conditions. It is only right that they should have modern facilities. They have modern fire tenders but because of lack of space are unable to park them side by side. If we can provide new fire tenders, we should be in a position to provide a modern fire station.

A few years ago the urban council secured a site in Enniscorthy. A new garda station was built which the Minister for Justice opened earlier this year. A new library was also built on the site. The third section of the site has been lying idle for the last few years. It has become dirty and overgrown. Will the Minister for Justice, in the absence of the Minister for the Environment, give a commitment that work on this fire station will commence as quickly as possible? The Enniscorthy area needs it, as do the firemen who have given such loyal service over the years.

The Minister is well aware of the need to have this fire station built as quickly as possible. Will she give a strong commitment that within the next three to four weeks building will commence. I understand, and I am open to correction, that the tenders have been accepted. It may be that the builder has been appointed and work is due to commence shortly. I ask, in the interests of the firemen and the people of Enniscorthy, that this work commence as quickly as possible.

Minister for Justice (Mrs. Owen)

I thank Deputy Browne for raising this issue. I remember with great pleasure the day I spent in Enniscorthy and how lucky Enniscorthy is to have a new Garda station and library. I suppose the icing on the cake would be if I were able to give the Deputy the information which he seeks.

Approval in principle to provide a new fire station at Enniscorthy was given to Wexford County Council in January 1993. Preparatory work, by way of cost plans and drawings, was then undertaken by the council and in June 1994 approval was given to prepare contract documents, specifications and working drawings for a two-bay fire station with drill tower.

Following the receipt of these completed documents, approval to go to tender was given to the council in November 1994, and the council submitted a recommended tender last March. The question of approving this tender is now under consideration in the Department of the Environment.

The capital sum available for the fire services development programme in 1995 amounts to £4.5 million. While this is an increase of £0.5 million over the 1994 provision, the carry over of commitments in respect of works in progress, or recently completed, places a heavy demand on the available funds. These up front bills represent a first charge on the finances available in any year.

I can assure the Deputy that the case for a new fire station at Enniscorthy is fully accepted by the Minister for the Environment, Deputy Howlin, but he has to deal with the project in the light of the funds available and the competing demands. I understand he hopes to give a decision on the proposal in the near future.

The Government values very highly the work of the fire service and is fully aware of its importance for the community. The Government has supported, and will continue to support, the major advances that have been made in the service in recent times. Since 1981, over £76 million has been invested to provide over 80 new fire stations, to purchase about 300 new appliances and other equipment, and to develop a modern computer-aided mobilisation and call-out system.

Wexford County Council has shared in those improvements. For example, a new fire appliance was delivered last year and, since 1985, a total of seven new appliances have been purchased for the county. New fire stations were constructed at Gorey in 1987, and at New Ross in 1983. Total grant aid of about £1.5 million has been made available by the Department of the Environment for these improvements. I look forward to the new fire station at Enniscorthy being added to that list of achievements as soon as possible.