New fire station earmarked for Cork suburb

Curraheen is the site earmarked for the Cork city fire station, with the existing Ballincollig station set to become a new fire service training centre, The Echo has learned.

A €13m allocation has been earmarked for the fire station in the western suburb, part of a €328.5m government investment in the country’s fire services which sees Cork county receive two new fire stations.

With the construction of the Cork city fire station in Curraheen, the former Ballincollig station, which closed in November 2021, will become a training centre for the fire service.

Victor Shine, second officer with Cork City Fire Brigade, said it was “fantastic news” for the city’s fire service with the station, when completed, having easy access to the west of the city, the ring roads, and Cork University Hospital.

“We are a large fire service now, the second-largest in the country, and our training needs are extensive, so we do need a dedicated training area for our firefighters,” he said.

Including the €13m to the city station, Cork city and county are to receive a total allocation of €19.4m.

As a result, €3.2m is going to a new station in Dunmanway in West Cork, and €3m for a new station in Mitchelstown in North Cork. Crosshaven fire station is to get a €250,000 refurbishment.

Cork County Council will also receive three new class B fire appliances, each worth approximately €500,000, and Cork City Council has been allocated one new class-B appliance.

The funding is part of the National Fire Service’s capital programme, the State’s largest ever investment in fire and emergency services, which will see a landmark €328.5m allocation to modernise Ireland’s fire service between now and 2030. Announcing the Cork funding, Christopher O’Sullivan, minister of state for nature, heritage and biodiversity, said the investment in the fire service would reinforce public safety in the city and county, ensuring that critical infrastructure and essential services were protected.

“Over the last number of years the fire services capital programme has fully funded new fire stations in Kanturk, Macroom and Clonakilty,” he said.

“This level of support is continuing with the approval of funding for the construction of new fire stations at Dunmanway and Mitchelstown and refurbishment works to the Crosshaven station.”

Welcoming the announcement, the Lord Mayor of Cork, councillor Fergal Dennehy, said the city had been waiting for the investment for a long time.

“As Ireland’s second city, which is seeing unprecedented growth, we need to update our services accordingly,” he said.

Garrett Kelleher, Fine Gael senator based in Ballincollig, said he was “delighted” at the news.

“I look forward to continuing to work closely with council management, the department and my fellow elected representatives through the design, planning and construction stages to ensure that the new station is delivered in a timely manner to meet the needs of our fast-growing community,” he said. 

Colm Kelleher, Fianna Fáil councillor for Ballincollig, and former lord mayor of Cork, said news that the former Ballincollig fire station was to become a fire service training centre was particularly welcome.

“That training facility is very good news, especially coupled with a €13m fire station in close proximity to Ballincollig, which will give us the full-time fire service we have wanted all along,” he said.

Ciara O’Connor, Labour Party city councillor, said a new fire station for the city’s south-west was “a critical and long-overdue investment”.