Donegal County Council has confirmed it’s recommending one new fire station to be built in south Donegal.
The station will be built at Bundoran and will merge the current fire services being provided from two stations at Ballyshannon and Bundoran.
A local Councillor in Ballyshannon says there has been no consultation on this and the decision has to be reversed by managment of Donegal County Council.
Firefighters were called to a meeting at Finner Camp yesterday with union reps where the position regarding the Fires Services in south Donegal were outlined.
In a statement to Ocean FM News today, Donegal County Council has confirmed it’s recommending a single station to be based at the East End of Bundoran near to the Finner roundabout.
It would provide a joint Ballyshannon and Bundoran Fire Service.
The Council says it follows a period of detailed discussion between management and staff from Donegal Fire Service and the subsequent preparation of an independent, evidence-led review of the fire service currently being provided in the area.
The new station at Bundoran would be a 2-pump, three-bay station that would house two pumping appliances, an aerial appliance and two 4×4 jeeps. The new fire brigade would have a crew compliment of 15, similar to that currently serving Letterkenny.
The Council says both Ballyshannon and Bundoran Fire Stations are in need of replacement and are limited in terms of basic requirements.
In addition, there is no scope on either site to refurbish the existing stations to modern-day standards.
The recommendation would ensure a long term, resilient service for the people of Ballyshannon and Bundoran, and the wider population across south Donegal.
But Councillors in south Donegal say it won’t happen.
Councillors in south Donegal say they won’t allow a situation to emerge where a either Ballyshannon or Bundoran Fire stations close.
Fine Gael Councillor Barry O’Neill says that Councillors were promised by senior management at Donegal County Council that they would be consulted before the outcome of this review was made public.
Councillor O’Neill says he will not allow the AGM of Donegal County Council to go ahead tomorrow until this recommendation is withdrawn by the Council Executive.
He’s calling for other parties to also rally support against this recommendation which he says will not be passed by the Councillors on Donegal Co Co:
Independent Councillor John Campbell agrees and says Councillors won’t agree to this proposal:
