Councillors get Fire Station update

Chief Fire Officer Peter Craig, in a letter to the Ballycastle Council, confirmed the replacement in the Glens “remains a high priority” for the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service (NIFRS).

He wrote: ‘The Business Case for this Station should be completed shortly and we will then be in a position to forward this to the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS) and the Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) for the necessary approvals.”

In relation to the £168 million announced for Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service capital expenditure in October 2008 he said that was as a result of an outline strategic business case submitted to the DHSSPS in line with a ten year strategy.

But Mr Craig said that proposed investment is subject to further submission and approval of business cases for specific cases by the Fire Service Board, DHSSPS and DFP and the confirmation that the required funding is available by the Minister for the completion of such projects.

Mr Craig added: ‘We continue to work with DHSSPS to secure the necessary funding for all of our capital requirements including the Station Replacement Programme. However, I am sure you will appreciate that the NIFRS has a number of other significant competing capital requirements over the next five years that have to be considered together with any proposals for Cushendall.’