Clonakilty’s fire service has been given a boost after the official opening of the town’s new €2.25 million fire station.

The state-of-the-art building on Park Road will serve more than 18,000 people across West Cork.

The fire station was funded by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government and officially opened by Minister Christopher O’Sullivan on Monday.

‘This new station has improved facilities to support the team at Clonakilty Fire Brigade in their work to deliver effective emergency and fire safety response to the community far into the future,’ Minister O’Sullivan said.

He praised the dedication of Clonakilty’s firefighters, who respond to around 150 incidents each year, including house fires, road traffic collisions, chimney fires, as well as gorse, hill and grass fires.

‘The incredible crew here serves not just Clonakilty, but nearby villages including Rosscarbery, Timoleague, Courtmacsherry, Ballinascarthy, Ring, Ardfield and Rathbarry,’ he said.

‘The team’s work goes beyond that… regularly responding to incidents in Skibbereen, Dunmanway and Bandon. ‘This larger, more modern and efficient station will help them serve these communities better.’

The new station replaces the old facility on Kent Street, which served the town for more than 80 years.

Minister O’Sullivan also paid tribute to firefighters’ courage and community spirit.

‘It takes a certain type of person to dedicate themselves to being a member of the fire crew. They know some of the extraordinary situations they will have to respond to are not always easy, but they are so brave and well cut out for it is extraordinary,’ he said.

He commended Cork County Council for its role in delivering the project, adding: ‘It’s easy to criticise local authorities but here you have Cork County Council building an extraordinary state-of-the-art building.’

Clonakilty Fire Station is staffed by a team of 12, including a station officer, sub-station officer, two driver mechanics and eight firefighters.

The new 310sqm building includes an appliance bay for two fire engines, alongside a domestic bay housing the watch room, muster bay, kitchenette, lecture and training room and ancillary areas.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Mary Linehan Foley, council chief executive Moira Murrell, and local representatives.

Cllr Foley welcomed the new station which she noted is ‘much larger and has more modern facilities’ than the Kent Road site.

Ms Morrell added: ‘We (Cork) have over 230 trained firefighters, who are members of the local community in which they serve, are trained and on call to respond to whatever emergency that may arise.’

The contract for the new building was awarded to Cahalane Construction, and was funded by the Department of Housing, Heritage and Local Government.