Annual Budget 2013 - Roscommon County Council

Division E | Environmental Services
The Council is required to implement a continuous programme of training, including mandatory refresher training
in both core and specialist skills for all fire-fighting personnel. This training is in addition to the roll-out of nationally
designed Standard Operating Guidelines (SOG’s) which commenced during 2012.
Annual charges to neighbouring counties who provide both fire and rescue response services within the county and
call-out systems through CAMP West in Castlebar, all represent a major part of the 2013 budget.
The Fire Service operates an intensive programme of preventative maintenance on all specialist equipment, plant
and facilities. Subject to public procurement compliance it is planned to continue to support the many local
businesses within the county who the Council already work with.
The draft national policy document “Keeping Communities Safe” requires each Fire Authority to undertake a review
of its current services and prepare an updated/revised statutory Section 26 Fire and Emergency Operations Plan
during 2013.
A detailed design and costing for the refurbishment of Elphin Fire Station has been submitted to the National
Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management and approval to go to tender is anticipated during 2013.
E13 Water Quality, Air and Noise Pollution
Roscommon County Council continues to discharge its functions under the Water Pollution Act 1977 (as amended)
in relation to the issuing and monitoring of licences of discharge to sewers and to waters and the investigation of
pollution incidences. A review of all discharge licences to waters commenced in 2012 and will continue in 2013
to comply with the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Surface Waters) Regulations 2009 and
the European Communities Environmental Objectives (Groundwater) Regulations 2010. Air and noise pollution
complaints are also investigated. A budget of €333,600 to meet direct expenditure has been allocated which
represents an increase of €26,900 of from 2012. This extra amount will be required to commence the INAB
Accreditation process for the Council’s Water Pollution Laboratory.
The registration of domestic waste water treatment systems commenced in 2012 and 7286 systems were registered
as at 26th November. All systems are required to be registered by 1st February 2013. A national inspection plan
is currently being prepared by the Environmental Protection Agency and it is intended that a risk based inspection
regime will be introduced during 2013.
E14 Agency & Recoupable Services
Under the Water Framework Directive Local Authorities are required to carry out a Water Monitoring Programme for
the Shannon International River Basin District (SIRBD). As well as operational monitoring, investigative monitoring
is also required and the staff of the Regional Laboratory, have been trained to provide this service for County
Roscommon and for other Counties in the Upper Shannon Catchments. The SIRBD Laboratory provides the WFD
service to Offaly, Galway, Roscommon, Longford, Leitrim and Westmeath County Councils and this will continue
for 2013.
The Shannon and Western River Basin Management Plans were adopted in July 2010 and the Plans will run to
2015. They place obligations on the Local Authority to implement measures to protect good and high quality water
bodies and to restore water bodies of less than good status to good status.
64 Roscommon County Council | Comhairle Chontae Ros Comain | Adopted Budget 2013 | For year ended 31st December 2013