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Departmental Funding

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 5 March 2024

Tuesday, 5 March 2024

Questions (430, 433)

David Cullinane

David Cullinane

David Cullinane

Question:

430. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent and level of capital funding for fire stations from his Department to Waterford City and County Council in the years 2019-2024, inclusive, by year and by funding stream, in tabular form. [10753/24]

View answer
David Cullinane

David Cullinane

David Cullinane

Question:

433. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the extent and level of capital funding for fire stations from his Department to each local authority in the years 2019-2024, inclusive, by year and by funding stream, in tabular form. [10757/24]

View answer

Written answers

Darragh O'Brien

Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage

I propose to take Questions Nos. 430 and 433 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 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 such as improvements to the network of fire stations and fire service training centres and the procurement of essential frontline fire appliances, ancillary vehicles and equipment.

Under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003, 31 local authorities provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures. Local authority fire services are delivered by approximately 3,300 local authority staff engaged at 217 fire stations nationwide, with 16 of these stations staffed by full-time firefighters, a further 4 are mixed full-time and retained, and 197 are staffed by retained firefighters.

In December 2020, I announced the Fire Services Capital Programme for the period 2021-2025, with a funding allocation of €61m. Following extensive engagement with fire authorities, a number of proposals for station works etc. were received.

Any proposal received by my Department requesting further support from the Fire Services capital programme is considered with regard to national priorities and the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide.

Project consideration stages in my Department include submission of preliminary and detailed appraisals; submission of design brief; selection of a site; application for approval in principle; appointment of design consultants; submission of a preliminary design; planning application; submission of a preliminary cost plan, detailed design and cost plans; and tender process and construction stages - each step subject to approval from my Department.

Waterford City and County Council has indicated that Kilmacthomas remains their top priority project, and a new fire station at Kilmacthomas is provided for in the Fire services Capital Programme 2021 - 2025. I understand the council have sought Part 8 planning approval for the project and will seek to move quickly through the necessary phases to progress the construction of a new station for Kilmacthomas. My Department will continue to work with Waterford City and County Council to progress the new Kilmacthomas fire station project.

Detailed below is the annual spend, 2019 through to date in 2024, on fire service infrastructural projects from the fire services capital programme.

Local Authority

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

Total

€M

€M

€M

€M

€M

€M

€M

Carlow County Council

-

0.096

-

-

0.232

-

0.328

Cavan County Council

1.448

0.623

-

1.412

-

-

3.483

Clare County Council

0.503

0.255

1.060

0.023

0.100

-

1.941

Cork City Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Cork County Council

0.242

0.549

1.037

2.004

0.235

-

4.066

Dublin City Council

-

-

0.000

-

0.147

-

0.147

Donegal County Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Galway County Council

-

0.054

-

-

0.409

0.839

1.301

Kerry County Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Kildare County Council

-

-

-

-

-

0.283

0.283

Kilkenny County Council

-

0.126

-

0.492

1.384

-

2.002

Laois County Council

-

-

-

0.190

-

-

0.190

Leitrim County Council

-

0.604

-

-

-

-

0.604

Longford County Council

-

-

-

0.463

-

-

0.463

Louth County Council

0.326

-

-

-

-

-

0.326

Mayo County Council

-

-

-

1.089

1.105

-

2.194

Meath County Council

-

0.151

-

1.016

-

-

1.167

Monaghan County Council

0.278

1.034

-

0.053

0.530

-

1.895

Offaly County Council

-

0.124

-

0.102

0.053

-

0.279

Roscommon County Council

-

-

-

0.196

0.217

-

0.413

Sligo County Council

-

-

-

0.036

-

-

0.036

Tipperary County Council

0.278

1.629

0.097

-

2.833

-

4.837

Waterford City & County Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Westmeath County Council

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Wexford County Council

0.148

-

0.375

1.280

-

-

1.803

Wicklow County Council

0.206

-

-

0.207

-

-

0.412

Annual Totals

3.429

5.245

2.568

8.563

7.245

1.121

28.172
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