Inishowen councillors see red over fire service water tanker

An update from Donegal Fire Service stating the status of a water tanker for the county “remains the same” has been met with anger in Inishowen.

Inishowen Municipal District councillors received the update at their April meeting last week and subsequently sought clarification from Donegal County Council's Director of Service and the Chief Fire Officer.

A clearly irate Councillor Martin McDermott asked for an explanation of the term “remains the same”.

Cllr McDermott said: “If the situation regarding the water tanker 'remains the same', what does that mean? I want to get clarification.

“The fact is Inishowen members are requesting clarification. I think we need to be clear with the Director of Service and the Chief Fire Officer that we are not happy the matter has been left the way it has.

“We are not asking, we are demanding, that the fire tender comes to Inishowen because we, as a Municipal District, were the ones who put this forward, not Glenties or Letterkenny or Donegal Town or Ballybofey. Inishowen.  

“And I want to make it very very clear, to The Director of Service and to the Chief Fire Officer, we are not going away on this one. We were the Municipal District that took this to full Council. We were the Municipal District that brought this up and we should be in a position to get that water tender,” said Cllr McDermott.

Cllr McDermott alluded to “serious issues” in parts of Inishowen, in relation to the supply of water.

He added: “This is the reason we took up the issue of Inishowen getting a water tanker. There was situation here in Inishowen where the fire brigade had to travel three or four kilometres to pick up water to put out a fire because it only had 2,500 litres of  water in the fire tanker.

“That was the reason and that reason still stands. I want to make it very, very, very clear that we are not giving up on this.”

Cllr Farren was supported by Cllr Martin Farren (Labour) who added: “A water tanker for the peninsula was proposed by Inishowen Municipal District councillors. I do not think we should take this lying down.

“It is very,  very important we are not dictated to in this matter. I think it would be important that the powers that be should possibly attend our next meeting and explain to us precisely when that decision was taken and why our concerns have not been taken on board. 

“Cllr McDermott brought this issue up on numerous occasions and I think we have been treated very, very shabbily indeed. I think it is important that someone comes along and explains to us why we are being left out of the equation.”

Concurring with her colleagues, Cllr Rena Donaghey (Fianna Fáil) said the proposal for a water tanker originated in Inishowen.

Cllr Donaghey added: “It was because of the need in Inishowen. 

“I chaired the recent Emergency Response SPC and the water tanker was was mentioned but nothing other than that. Naturally, I  assumed it was for Inishowen. Nobody indicated anything to the contrary. 

“The water tanker was always meant for Inishowen and I cannot see why someone would change their mind on it.”

ENDS