Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 12 October 2021
184. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his plans to increase funding to replace the Dublin Fire Brigade fleet of vehicles; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49509/21]
View answer185. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the breakdown of the capital funding provided to Dublin Fire Brigade in the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49510/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together.
The 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 Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. 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 equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
Dublin City Council provides fire prevention and fire and rescue services for the four Dublin local authorities: Dublin City, South Dublin, Fingal and Dún Laoghaire/Rathdown County Councils.
In December 2020, I announced a new Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. This new Programme will see six new fire stations built, continued support for the construction of a further 12 new fire stations, nine fire station refurbishments as well as the allocation of 35 new fire appliances (engines).
Dublin City Council was allocated four new “Class B” fire appliances in the latest Appliance Procurement Programme at an approximate cost of €1.9m. Dublin City Council was also grant-aided to procure three new “Class B” fire appliances in each of the 2015 and 2017 Programmes. Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet is one of the key national priorities for the Fire Services Capital Programme.
In July 2019, the Council was approved to purchase a new turntable ladder/ aerial appliance at a cost of €800,000 plus VAT. In September 2021, Dublin City Council requested approval for the purchase of a new turntable ladder at a cost of €850,000. This application is under consideration in my Department and is likely to be approved in the immediate future.
Capital funding provided to Dublin Fire Brigade in the past five years by my Department is detailed in the following table:
|
Year |
Item |
Amount € |
|
2016 |
Thermal Imaging cameras |
110,700 |
|
ERCC Vehicle |
18,981 |
|
|
RBA contract |
36,839 |
|
|
Community Smoke Alarms Scheme |
8,253 |
|
|
2017 |
2 Class B Fire Appliances i |
271,596 |
|
Ancillary equipment for class B appliances |
31,980 |
|
|
2 pumps ii |
61,377 |
|
|
2 Class B Fire Appliances ii |
312,199 |
|
|
Turntable ladder i |
361,947 |
|
|
2018 |
3 Class B Fire Appliances i |
550,917 |
|
4 4x4 jeeps |
108,811 |
|
|
2019 |
3 Class B Fire Appliances ii |
470,346 |
|
2020 |
n/a |
0 |
|
2021 |
Turntable ladder i |
18,894 |
|
4 Class B Fire Appliances i |
302,500 |
|
|
Turntable ladder ii |
172,858 |
|
|
4 Class B Fire Appliances ii |
492,000 |
|
|
Total |
3,330,198 |
All requests for funding from my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme have regard to local authorities’ own priorities, consistency with national policy, the value for money offered by proposals and the totality of requests from fire authorities.
