Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 March 2014
712. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when funding will be made available for the provision of a new fire station (details supplied) in County Offaly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13775/14]
View answerThe 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 section 10 of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports the 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.
Under the 2007 fire service capital programme a proposal by Offaly County Council to build a new fire station at Ferbane was received by my Department and approval in principle was granted to proceed to the planning stages. Offaly County Council submitted these cost and design plans on 28 February 2014 for consideration by my Department.
Given the constraints on public finances further support from my Department's fire services capital programme to proceed with a new fire station at Ferbane will have regard to national priorities, the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide, Offaly County Council’s priorities, the extent of previous investment in Offaly fire service, the value for money offered by proposals and the status of existing facilities having regard to risk categorisation.
