The people of Castlerea and the surrounding areas will be the real losers as a result of the fire station in Castlerea closing, according to independent TD Michael Fitzmaurice.
Speaking on the matter, he said: “As a result of the fire station closing, it will be the people of Castlerea and the surrounding areas, such as Ballymoe and Williamstown, who will lose out in the event of a fire moving forward – as Castlerea would have been their closest station.
“The saga surrounding the station has dragged on for a number of years. Whether it is admitted or not in the report – in my opinion – one of the main contributing factors to the recent closure has been the complete breakdown in the process to find solutions to the prolonged HR situation that evolved at the station in recent years.
“It is well known that a number of people tried to see if could a solution be found, but unfortunately it hasn’t.
“I think now is a time for everybody to reflect. We must now redouble efforts to make sure that a fire station is re-established in Castlerea as soon as possible in order to protect homes, businesses and the prison.
“The further a station is away from a built up area, the more difficult it will be to contain a fire if it is detected. Early intervention is key.
“I do hope that common sense will prevail over the coming months and I think we need to get an independent review done of the areas and their requirements.
“Given the number of years the fire station has been established in Castlerea and the number of a people that have served in it, its closure will mark a sad day.
“But maybe all the different parties involved need to reflect on how we got to this point,” Fitzmaurice concluded.
Michael Fitzmaurice 086-1914565