*Clare County Fire and Rescue Service. Photo credits Eamon Ward.
A €15M investment in Clare’s fire and rescue service, including a major redevelopment of Ennis Fire Station, is among the measures contained in a new five-year plan adopted by Clare County Council.
The Fire and Emergency Operations Plan 2026–2031 was adopted by councillors on Monday, November 9, and sets out the county’s approach to emergency response, fire prevention, firefighter training, equipment and major-emergency preparedness.
The investment includes €10m for the redevelopment of Ennis Fire Station, €1.3m for an aerial rescue fire appliance and more than €850,000 for upgrades to firefighting personal protective equipment (PPE) and breathing apparatus sets.
Clare Chief Fire Officer Adrian Kelly said the plan recognised the changing demands placed on the fire service.
“A modern fire service must be equipped for more than traditional firefighting. This Plan recognises the changing nature of call-outs, including medical and ambulance assistance, storm-related hazards and road clean-ups, alongside fires, road traffic collisions and other emergencies,” he said.
He said continued training, specialist capabilities and joint planning with partner agencies would support the service in responding to these demands.
The plan also addresses staffing arrangements within the retained fire service, with Chief Fire Officer Kelly stating that crew levels had increased across the county to provide structured time off while maintaining minimum personnel availability.
He said the arrangement would support a more sustainable retained service, with personnel able to attend incidents during their week off.
Prevention will also remain central to the plan, with home fire safety visits, school programmes and community education complementing fire safety inspections and building control work.
The adoption of the plan follows concerns raised about the future of Shannon Fire Station, with Cllr David Griffin (FF) having secured a deferral of the plan at last month’s meeting to allow further engagement with senior management.
The concerns related to proposals to reduce Shannon’s planned firefighter complement from 15 to 12, which had been opposed by the local community.
Cllr Griffin said he had brought concerns from the Shannon community directly to the Chief Executive, Director of Emergency Services and Chief Fire Officer, seeking clarification about the station’s future.
He said the subsequent engagement had provided confirmation from the Chief Fire Officer that all existing fire appliances would remain at Shannon and continue to be available for operational deployment.
Shannon currently has 14 firefighters enlisted, compared with a low of eight during the previous plan, according to Cllr Griffin.
He said the revised plan included provision for ongoing review of operations, adding that its adoption did not mean the ambition for a stronger fire service in Shannon had ended.
“Our focus now must be on continued engagement, ensuring the commitments made are followed through and keeping Shannon’s future fire service needs firmly on the Council’s agenda,” he said.
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