Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 November 2021
276. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a memorandum of understanding exists between the fire services in Northern Ireland and Ireland; the status of the implementation of this memorandum of understanding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [55594/21]
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 Acts, 1981 and 2003. My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire safety and fire service provision, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects.
Fire services are provided in Ireland by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. Under this legislation, there are 31 fire authorities which provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures.
As I am sure you aware a number of our fire authorities are based in the border regions and on occasion are called to assist Northern Ireland fire fighter colleagues at incidents and vice versa. It is my understanding that while - other than an arrangement between Donegal County Council and the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) for fire cover in an area of south Donegal - there are no formal Memoranda of Understanding around such activity, there are local or co-operation agreements in place between individual fire services and NIFRS. I also understand Irish Fire Service and Northern Ireland Fire Service colleagues are currently working on a Multi Agency Protocol for Cross Border Notification of Major Emergency/Major Incidents in Border Areas between Northern Ireland and the Republic Ireland.
