Fire station campaigners vow to continue the fight

Campaigners from Daingean, Banagher and Kilcormac have vowed to continue their campaign to get the three local fire stations re-opened, despite the council failing to find additional funding at the 2011 budget meeting on Monday. It looks like the closure of Offaly's three fire stations by the council due to funding problems, will become a general election issue in the local campaign. The group, who attended the meeting in council chambers, said that their campaign will intensify after last minute proposals by Cllr Dervill Dolan which would have re-opened one fire station, were voted down by a margin of one vote. Shock, dismay and disappointment, were emotions experienced locally after it was decided that no way could the money be found to save Daingean, Banagher and Kilcormac Fire Station. The campaigners also criticised the actions of four councillors who abstained from the final vote. “This motion was lost because four representatives from North Offaly Noel Bourke (FF), Ger Plunkett (FF), Liam Quinn (FG) and Nicola Hogan (FG) abstained,†said spokesperson Anne Corcoran. They also praised Cllr Dolan for putting down the motion to save one station and the councillors who supported it, who they said, put the community and the lives of the people in the community before the party. “This campaign is not finished it is only beginning. Our council is there for the people and the people will be listened to,†said spokesperson Anne Corcoran. Councillors not only voted in the budget cuts to the fire service, but also voted in the new fire services plan which is required by law, and now only concerns the five remaining fire stations. Sinn Féin general election candidate Cllr Brian Stanley is now calling for an independent examination of the fire service. He said that Offaly is a large sprawling county and five fire stations is “inadequate†to provide a proper response to fire and rescue. “What price is being put on life?... There needs to be an independent examination, if it can be done in one county why not in another? Can the funding be used better?†he said. “The biggest concern is the loss of local knowledge. With a local station, locals get there first they know the lane-ways, they know the people even - if they live alone or have a disability. Local knowledge is critical in terms of a good reaction and a proper reaction. You can't centralise that.†Cllr Stanley said that the closure of the three stations was bigger than an election issue. “The question is how we run public services. All local authorities are underfunded, Laois too. There's huge decisions to be made. You can find the money, some services are necessary, the key frontline services have to be maintained. In the long-term, if you allow critical services to be cut at the stroke of a pen... Frontline emergency services have to be kept, this is life and death.†He criticised the decision of some Offaly county councillors to abstain on a vote on a proposed motion to find funding to keep one fire station open. “It may serve the party but not the people... It's not good enough to say ‘I've abstained', you can't sit on both sides of the fence. We're in difficult times but we have a responsibility to provide vital services for people.â€