Council ready to ‘press the button’ on tender process for Kanturk fire station

CORK County Council has completed the design of the proposed new fire station in Kanturk and is ready to go to tender once government approval for the project has been granted.

That’s according to Kanturk/Mallow district officer Liz Donovan, who raised the issue at its July committee meeting following a request for a progress update on the scheme by Cllr Bernard Moynihan (FF).

Last month the chief fire officer for Cork County, Séamus Coughlan, said it was hoped the tendering process for the planned new fire station in Kanturk will commence before the end of the summer.

“The director of our environmental services department is ready to press the button on tender documents as soon as approval for the project is forthcoming,” confirmed Ms Donovan.

Her comment was welcomed by Cllr Timmy Collins (Ind), who said he hoped an end was finally in sight for the long-running saga.

“This situation has been going on for years. In the meantime the volunteer fire-fighters have had to work in conditions that are unacceptable by any standards. The existing building is not a fire station, its little more than a garage for the fire tender,” he said.

“I just hope that approval is given soon so that work can finally commence on this badly needed new facility,” he said.

However, Sinn Fein’s Melissa Mullane was less than optimistic about the situation.

She was at pains to point out that Cllr Moynihan, who was not in the chamber when the issue was raised, was part of the Fianna Fáil administration that bought the site for the new station for what she said was “an astronomical fee some year ago”.

“This issue has been used as a political football ever since and we are still waiting for the new fire station. My fear is that we could be waiting for a long time yet before works starts on it,” she said.

However, Cllr John Paul O’Shea (FG) said he was confident approval would be granted for the tender process soon.

“There has been a slight delay as the design had to be altered. The district officer has stated the project is ready to go as soon as approval has been granted, so I would expect the tender process to commence in the very near future,” he said.