Editorial: Great to have funding for new Kilkenny fire station - let's make sure it happens

There is welcome news this week with confirmation from Government of a €10 million funding allocation for Kilkenny’s new fire station.

The current fire station on Gaol Road has served us well to date. However, this new, purpose-built headquarters will ensure fire and rescue personnel have the very best of facilities, equipment and space — everything a modern emergency service needs to operate to the best of its ability.

The project, being advanced by Kilkenny County Council, will see a modern fire station designed by HLM Architects, who were appointed in early 2024. A three-acre site at the Kilkenny Business and Retail Park on the Waterford Road has been earmarked for the new HQ.

It’s not the first time we’ve had an announcement on this vital proposed infrastructure upgrade. It was in the previous capital plan 2021-2025, but no sod was turned. Hopefully, this time, it will proceed in a timely fashion.

It’s also great to hear that two new fire engines costing €500,000 each have been allocated to Kilkenny under the plan for fire services nationwide.

STOLEN LIFEBUOYS
The recent wanton abuse of multiple lifebuoys along the River Nore in Kilkenny is a shameful display of loutish anti-social behaviour.

As the sticker on the lifebuoy boxes says, ‘a stolen ringbuoy is a stolen life’. It’s not the first time ringbuoys have been thrown into the river, but the fact that it is a repeated incident is all the more frustrating. There is absolutely no reason for it — nothing of value is gained; it is simply vandalism for the sake of it.

Since the fishing season opened and the clocks went forward, it has been great to see an increase in people enjoying the river amenity, but there has been a notable spike in anti-social behaviour as well. Littering and public consumption of alcohol and other substances are evident. An additional garda patrol or two along the city’s river routes, such as the Canal Walk, would not go amiss.