Minister Canney welcomes €16.4 million fire service investment for Galway City and County

Angelina Nugent

7 Apr 2026

Seán Canney TD, Minister of State for International and Road Transport, Logistics, Rail and Ports and Leader in Cabinet of the Independent Ministers, has welcomed significant investment in fire service infrastructure across Galway under the newly announced national fire service capital investment programme (2026–2030), including an investment of estimated €13 million for a new fire station in Galway City and €3.4 million for the new Loughrea Fire Station, as part of the wider €178.6 million investment in fire station infrastructure nationwide.

The investment will see Galway included among key locations for new and upgraded fire service facilities, strengthening capacity and ensuring services are equipped to respond to increasing and more complex emergency demands.

In Galway City, the new station will replace the existing facility in the Claddagh, which has served the city and wider county for decades and no longer meets modern operational requirements.

The long-awaited Loughrea project already has Part 8 planning permission in place, a site has been secured and the project is currently out to tender. This announcement paves the way for construction to begin in the coming months.

Welcoming the progress, Minister Canney said: “This is really positive news for Galway, with significant investment going into modern fire service infrastructure across both the city and county.

“This is something I have been working on – so that Galway gets the investment it needs for these vital services.

“Our fire service plays a vital role in keeping communities safe, and it’s essential that crews have facilities that are fit for purpose. The existing stations have served the community for decades, but thee are no longer adequate for modern operational needs.”

The new development in Loughrea will see a modern three-bay fire station with training facilities constructed at St Lawrence’s Fields, replacing the existing station which is over 70 years old. Similarly, the existing fire station in Galway City, located in the Claddagh and built in 1956, has served the region for decades but is no longer suited to modern operational requirements.

The wider programme will also see Galway County Council receive two new fire appliances to support frontline services across the county.

Minister Canney added: “This is a strong vote of confidence in Galway’s fire and emergency services and in the need to invest properly in the infrastructure that supports them.

“We’ve already seen strong progress with new fire stations delivered in Tuam and Athenry, and that momentum is continuing with the new station planned for Galway City, the progress now being made in Loughrea and the allocation of two new fire appliances for Galway County Council. Together, this programme will help strengthen fire service capacity across the county and support crews in the work they do every day to keep people safe.”