Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 2 May 2017
431. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the number of fire safety officers employed by each local authority; and the estimated cost of employing an additional fire safety officer. [19259/17]
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 the Fire Service 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.
Each local authority determines the number of fire officers they employ having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources. My Department does not collate information in respect of the numbers of fire safety officers that local authorities employ as this is a matter for individual authorities themselves.
