As the provision of fire cover is statutory duty of the local fire authority, in this instance Mayo County Council, my Department has been in correspondence with Mayo County Council regarding the concerns raised by Clare Island Community Co-op Limited and a reply has now issued to the Co-op. I understand that Mayo County Council, in partnership with the community on Clare Island, implemented a community fire prevention, protection and intervention scheme with appropriate training to householders in recent years and that the council is again examining its arrangements on Clare Island in the light of community concerns.
The community fire protection scheme implemented on Clare Island by the council is in line with fire safety strategy adopted by other coastal fire authorities for offshore islands, in consultation with my Department.
The scheme was recently assisted with funding from the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, who provided 50% of the cost of supplying and installing fire protection equipment on such islands with the local fire authorities making up the balance. My Department supports the local authority fire service through capital funding towards the provision of priority fire stations, fire appliances and equipment etc. In the period 1998-2004, Mayo County Council received approval to purchase seven new fire appliances at a total cost of about €1.7 million and these appliances are being grant-aided in full by my Department.
As a matter of policy, this capital funding is targeted at projects and proposals in significant population centres. In keeping with the emerging concept of community fire safety, my Department does not envisage supporting the development of fire brigades in smaller isolated communities as practical or feasible. Rather the approach is to encourage and develop the type of community-based initiatives already undertaken by the fire authorities to protect people living on offshore islands.
