Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 September 2014
1593. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received any request from Dublin City Council for funding to purchase new fire appliances for Dublin Fire Brigade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34596/14]
View answerThe provision of fire services in local authority areas, including the establishment and maintenance of fire brigades, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of premises, is a statutory function of the individual fire authorities under the provisions of the Fire Services Act 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through the setting of general policy and guidance, and the provision of capital funding, including the recoupment (within the overall funding available) of costs incurred by fire authorities in relation to the approved purchase of fire appliances and emergency equipment as well as construction and upgrading of fire stations.
Dublin City Council provides fire services on behalf of the four Dublin local authorities. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as one of the key national priorities for the fire services capital programme. In that context and in order to deliver cost efficiencies, a programme involving fire authorities aggregating demand and jointly procuring 17 fire appliances is now nearing completion, under which Dublin Fire Brigade received an allocation for two new water tenders. My Department has reimbursed Dublin City Council €316,459 to date in respect of these.
Dublin City Council wrote to my Department in May 2014 requesting that Dublin Fire Brigade be included in the next capital funding allocation programmes for two new appliances. This correspondence has been acknowledged. All requests for funding from my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme will be considered within the constraints of available resources and will have regard to local authorities’ priorities, the value for money offered by proposals, the totality of requests from fire authorities and the status of existing facilities having regard to risk categorisation.
