Funds rise for local Fire Services
Cavan County Council has received funding towards the new Workplace Relations Agreement for firefighters.
This will see an "increase" in callout resources and an increase in fire service personnel in the county, according to Cavan County Council Chief Executive Eoin Doyle.
According to budget 2026: "Continued efforts are underway to achieve full staffing levels in the 10 fire stations located around the county. In addition, approval for a new senior fire officer post awaits filling in 2026."
"Significant investment" in personnel, training and equipment, ensuring the brigades operational effectiveness and enhancing community fire safety programmes are also outlined in next year's budget.
Funding for the operation of the fire services is €6,621,550 in Budget 2026, which represents an increase of eight per cent (€502,594) on last year's budget figure.
Meanwhile expenditure on fire prevention measures remains largely the same, with an increase of just over €3,000 at €356,449.
The Chief Executive continued: "This matter is still subject to some clarification and for the purpose of the draft budget I have assumed full recoupment of all eligible costs.
"The members should note however that the budget will need to be reviewed during the course of the year and corrective actions taken if full recoupment is not achievable."
Cllr Damian Brady thanked the council executive on behalf of the Sinn Féin group, and particularly welcomed the budget for the Cavan County Fire Service, whom he described as "very professional".
"When I first joined the fire services there was very little equipment and training," he told the chamber.
"Over the last 26 years I have seen a huge improvement."
At the beginning of the meeting, a moment of silence was observed to offer sympathies to the families of the five young victims of a tragic road traffic incident in Ardee, and to show appreciation for the emergency services who worked at the scene.
Cllr Brady offered his "sympathies" to the families of the deceased, and told those gathered: "Those are the kind of incidents that we in the fire services have to attend."
Meanwhile, the budget also accounts for the transfer of staff from Uisce Éireann related activities to other frontline local authority services. Having worked in the water services, Cllr Brady said he feels as though he "never left" the local authority.
"I look forward to going back into what ever role Cavan County Council sees fit," he said.
Civil Defence
Meanwhile a provision of €125,000 is included in the budget to support the functions of the Cavan County Civil Defence, which has 112 active volunteers throughout the county.
Currently there are nine centres and 11 weekly classes providing casualty teams, a boat team, a rope rescue team, a welfare team, a drone team, an auxiliary fire service team, a communications team and a land search team.