Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 October 2024
270. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to report on the progress of the Fire Service Capital Programme 2021-2025, with direct reference to delivery to date of the expenditure outlined in tables 2-4 inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38820/24]
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 Services 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.
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. The proposals were evaluated and prioritised on the basis of the:
• Area Risk Categorisation of the fire station (population, fire risks, etc.);
• established Health and Safety needs;
• state of development of the project (suitable site acquired, etc.);
• value for money offered by the proposal; and
• the totality of requests from all authorities.
The 2021 - 2025 Programme was projected to 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.
Continued investment in the fire appliance fleet has been identified as a key national priority that is why, in October 2023, I announced the allocation of an additional 40 new fire appliances at a cost of €20.8m.
Following an annual review of the Fire Services Capital Programme additional fire station projects at Letterkenny, Co. Donegal, Stradbally Co. Laois and Clara Co. Offaly were subsequently added.
To date, the Fire Services Programme 2021 – 2025 has supported fire services with €64.6 million in funding and is profiling an additional €15.6 million in funding to year end 2024, providing additional levels of funding to maximise support for Fire Services.
The details below outline the requested updates per table,
Table 2 Proposed New Build Fire Stations
|
County |
Location |
Type |
Update |
|
Cavan |
Ballyjamesduff |
New |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Cork |
Kanturk |
Replacement |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Cork |
Macroom |
Replacement |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Mayo |
Crossmolina |
New |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Wexford |
New Ross |
New |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Cork |
Clonakilty |
Replacement |
Station under construction, expected completion 2024 |
|
Galway |
Athenry |
New |
Station under construction, expected completion 2024 |
|
Galway |
Loughrea |
New |
Station in planning/design phase |
|
Kilkenny |
Urlingford |
New |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Leitrim |
Manorhamilton |
New |
Station to tender for construction Q4 2024 |
|
Louth |
Dunleer |
New |
Council finalising site acquisition |
|
Meath |
Nobber |
Refurb/Upgrade |
Station completed and is operational |
|
Waterford |
Kilmacthomas |
New |
Project in preliminary design phase |
|
Kilkenny |
Kilkenny |
New |
Project in preliminary design phase |
|
Kildare |
Maynooth |
Replacement |
Station under construction |
|
Wicklow |
Baltinglass |
New |
Council seeking Part VIII planning approval |
|
Wicklow |
Dunlavin |
New |
Council seeking Part VIII planning approval |
|
Monaghan |
Ballybay |
New |
Station under construction, expected completion 2024 |
Table 3 Fire Stations to be Upgraded/Refurbished
|
County |
Location |
Update |
|
Kerry |
Killarney |
Station works in design phase |
|
Roscommon |
Boyle |
Station works completed 2022 |
|
Westmeath |
Athlone |
Council approved to tender for construction, build phase projected to commence Q4 2024 |
|
Westmeath |
Kilbeggan |
Station works in planning/design phase |
|
Tipperary |
Roscrea |
Station works in planning/design phase |
|
Carlow |
Muine Bheag |
Council approved to tender for design consultants |
|
Limerick |
Cappamore |
Station works in planning/design phase |
|
Meath |
Oldcastle |
Council approved to seek Part VIII planning approval |
|
Wexford |
Gorey |
Station works completed 2024 |
Table 4 Fire Appliance Applications (Class B Appliances)
|
Allocations 2021 – 2023 OGP Class B Fire Appliance Framework |
||
|
Fire Authority |
No. of appliances |
Comment |
|
Carlow County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Cavan County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Clare County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Cork City Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Cork County Council |
3 |
Delivered |
|
Donegal County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Dublin City Council |
4 |
Delivered |
|
Galway County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Kerry County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Kildare County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Laois County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Leitrim County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
2 |
Delivered |
|
Longford County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Louth County Council |
1 |
Council allocation held over on request. Council have been allocated two appliances in 2023 - 2025 framework |
|
Mayo County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Meath County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Offaly County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Roscommon County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Sligo County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2 |
Delivered |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
2 |
Delivered |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Wexford County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
Wicklow County Council |
1 |
Delivered |
|
35 |
|
Allocations 2023 – 2025 OGP Class B Fire Appliance Framework |
||
|
Fire Authority |
No. of appliances |
Comment |
|
Carlow County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Cavan County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Clare County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Cork City Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Cork County Council |
3 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Donegal County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Dublin City Council |
4 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Galway County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Kerry County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Kildare County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Kilkenny County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Laois County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Leitrim County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Limerick City & County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Longford County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Louth County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Mayo County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Meath County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Monaghan County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Offaly County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Roscommon County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Sligo County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Tipperary County Council |
2 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Waterford City & County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Westmeath County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Wexford County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
Wicklow County Council |
1 |
Contract to build appliance awarded |
|
40 |
