Alan Kelly
Question:419. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the current status of the fire services Bill; and this Bill will progress to the next stage. [6591/24]
View answerTuesday, 13 February 2024
Questions (419)
Written answers
A General Scheme of a Bill to update the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003 is being prepared within my Department. The primary purpose of this legislation will be to update the Fire Services Act, 1981 & 2003.
The shape of the Bill has been considered on a number of occasions by the Board of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM). The Board is comprised of Chief Executive Officers from local authorities, the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA) as well as representatives of Government Departments and other bodies. There is a need for further consultation with relevant stakeholders to ensure the Bill ultimately brought forward is comprehensive, robust and future-proofed.
The intention of the Bill is to support and strengthen the role of local authorities in the delivery of fire services. The 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 each individual fire authority.
The work of local authority fire services has, to a large degree, been underpinned by the Fire Services Act 1981 & 2003 for nearly 40 years. While this legislation has served the country well, and key indicators such as fatalities from fire per million of population have continued to fall consistently to the point where they are at their lowest for forty years, it is appropriate now to ensure that the underpinning legislation fully reflects the changes in society and the expanded and more dynamic roles that our local authority fire services have taken on in recent years.
Like all legislation, this is a complex piece of work, which necessitates consideration of multifaceted issues that impact on a number of different sectors. When my Department is satisfied that the legislation being brought forward is appropriate, balanced, complete and robust, a Memorandum will be brought to Government on the issue, followed by publication of the Bill.