Council seeks to progress fire station projects in four towns across Co Cork

Cork County Council is seeking to progress four new fire station projects in Dunmanway, Charleville, Mitchelstown, and Youghal.

Fine Gael TD John Paul O’Shea asked the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the capital delivery programme for fire stations.

Cork County Council provides a fire and rescue service from 20 fire stations, which are located throughout the county. The four projects, if approved, would replace fire stations currently operating at these sites.

Cork TD, and minister of state at the department, Christopher O’Sullivan, said that three new fire stations have been completed in the last three years and that Cork County Council is working on plans for four more.

He said: “Three new fire stations at Kanturk, Macroom, and Clonakilty were prioritised for inclusion in the 2021-2025 Fire Services Capital Programme. New Kanturk and Macroom fire stations were officially opened in May and September of 2022, respectively. The third new fire station at Clonakilty has now been completed and I understand planning has begun for an official opening ceremony to take place later this year.

“In correspondence with officials from my department, Cork County Council have indicated several new fire station projects at Dunmanway, Charleville, Mitchelstown, and Youghal that they expect to seek inclusion of in the Fire Services Capital Programme 2026-2030.”

Mr O’Sullivan said his department will work closely with the council to progress its identified priority infrastructural projects, within the context of the totality of requests from fire authorities for capital funding.

“Capital funding allocations for 2026 and beyond remain a matter of discussion between my department and the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation in the context of the budget and estimates process,” said Mr O’Sullivan.