Concerns have being expressed at Dublin City Council as to why Dublin Fire Brigade are covering areas within neighbouring counties, and in particular Tallaght Fire Station covering Naas and Leixlip in County Kildare when there are already fire stations in these towns.
At a recent meeting of South Dublin County Council, councillors learned that the manager at the Eastern regional Control Centre based extended the turn-out area of Tallaght fire station. Councillors were informed one of the two fire tenders at Tallaght is now a ‘first responder’ for parts of Kildare and on the N7.
It was also revealed that the second Tallaght Tender will be marked down as a ‘second responder’ to Naas town, in addition to Leixlip in north Kildare, Clondalkin and Lucan, Co. Dublin.
Cathaoirleach Donal Looney said staff in Tallaght had deep concerns about resources and safety implications of the move. Tallaght station was one of the busiest in Ireland and he called on Local Authorities in Dublin and Kildare, as the regional administrator of the fire service, to reconsider. Council staff said the addition of adjacent parts of Co Kildare would add just 0.5 per cent to call-out activity expected from Tallaght. Officials said the fire services were nominally named by their county, but it was “a national service”.
