Minister Browne Officially Opens Ballyjamesduff Fire Station

The state-of-the-art €1.75 million Ballyjamesduff Fire Station was officially opened on Friday, 29th May by Minister for Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, James Browne TD.

The two-bay station, which incorporates a drill tower, drill yard, BA room, locker room, office space, and meeting rooms was completed at Rassan Road, Derrylurgan in 2023 following a €1.757 million investment by the Department Housing, Local Government, and Heritage, through the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM).

The crew from Ballyjamesduff, which operates under the call sign CN16, also welcomed a brand-new fire appliance this week, following a further investment of €1.075 million through the NDFEM, which also saw Cavan Town (CN11) receive a new Scania 320p ‘Class B’ appliance.

Performing the official opening and handing over the keys of the new CN16 appliance to Station Officer John Lovett, Minister Browne said, “The official opening of this new fire station today marks a significant step forward in strengthening the infrastructure and capacity of Cavan Fire Services.”

“This station represents a major investment in public safety by this Government. Our firefighters respond to a wide range of emergencies and challenges when people need them most, and by providing them with this modern, energy-efficient station, we are ensuring they have a sustainable and well-equipped base from which to carry out their essential work.”.

Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr John Paul Feeley said, “I’m delighted to join Minister Browne today as this fantastic new facility is officially opened. Our firefighters are highly skilled and committed front-line staff and they deserve the best equipment and facilities to assist them as they keep our communities safe. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Minister Browne and his Department staff for their support of the emergency services in Cavan and wish Station Officer John Lovett and his crew every success in this fine station”.

Chief Fire Officer with Cavan County Fire Service, Sinéad Sweeney said, “This new station in Ballyjamesduff represented the final piece in a long-term modernisation project across the county’s ten stations undertaken by my predecessors Noel O’Reilly and, before him, Noel Burke. I want to acknowledge their stellar work and to also express my gratitude to the fire officers and administrative staff in County HQ for their ongoing dedication as we seek to build on that legacy with improvements such as these modern new Scania appliances. My thanks to Minister Browne and the team in the NDFEM for their invaluable support and assistance on this and many other initiatives.”

Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle added, “As the professionalism and skill level of our fire services has grown over the years, it’s only right that we as local authorities equip our first responders with facilities commensurate with their abilities. I wish Chief Fire Officer Sinéad Sweeney, Station Officer John Lovett and the crew of Ballyjamesduff Fire Brigade continued success in their new home and with this state-of-the-art new fire appliance.”