Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
559. Deputy Donna McGettigan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm that all services and call outs by the ambulance and fire services are continuing as normal in the current fuel crisis and that no directive has been issued to reduce same [27892/26]
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 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.
The provision of emergency medical services, including pre-hospital emergency care, is the responsibility of the HSE which operates the National Ambulance Service (NAS) and emergency departments in hospitals in accordance with health sector legislation and national health policy. The HSE operates under the remit of the Department of Health.
In direct response to fuel supply line restrictions, of an indeterminate duration, and the need to optimise fuel availability across fire authorities, short term measures to address immediate fuel shortages at retail fuel forecourts were implemented. These measures were jointly developed by the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management, the City and County Managers Association and Chief Fire Officer’s association, with the strategic objectives of:
• Maintaining life-saving emergency response capability,
• Reducing avoidable fuel consumption quickly,
• Extending fuel endurance of frontline appliances,
• Supporting staff mobility while limiting non-essential travel.
Fire services across Ireland put in place contingencies to manage the restricted availability of fuel. For example, non-essential activities were ceased and responses to non-life threatening call-outs were restricted.
These measures were introduced on the afternoon of 10 April with the agreement of all stakeholders. These measures were intended to be temporary and were to be kept under constant review as the situation evolved, with the intention to amend or revoke the measures once appropriate. The measures were rescinded on the morning of 12 April once robust fuel supply lines had been re-established.
A risk assessment was prepared in advance of the implementation of the short term contingency measures. The application of the National Incident Command System, the use of Standard Operating Guidance and the general provisions of all fire service safety management systems remained unaffected by the measures, nor was it considered that the contingency measures would prohibit the mobilisation of additional resources by the Rostered Senior Fire Officer or Incident Commander following a dynamic risk assessment of any incident occurring during the time the measures were in effect.
