Construction starting on new Laois fire station as community offered old building
Construction contract signed for €3.3m Stradbally fire station
Construction is about to fire up on the long awaited new base for Stradbally Fire Service, with their vacant old building set to become a community meeting hall.
Laois County Council has described the signing of contracts between it and Kilkenny company Ormonde Construction on Wednesday, April 29 as as “a major milestone”.
The new €3.3m fire station on council land has been designed to meet the evolving needs of the local fire service and the growing community, as well as serving huge events like Electric Picnic and Stradbally Steam Rally.
Computerised image of the new Stradbally Fire Station.
Construction work is expected to start in May.
It is a double bonus for Stradbally, which still has no community hall. The vacant old fire station is being offered for use by local community groups, with several already making their interest known to the council.
Simon Walton, Director of Services at Laois County Council, commended the plans.
Pictured at County Hall, Portlaoise for the signing of contracts for the new Fire Station in Stradbally. From left, back: Noel O’Dwyer, Architect; Paul Molloy, Station Officer; Clare Germaine, Assistant Chief Fire Officer; Simon Walton, Director of Services; Cllr Paschal McEvoy, Michael Rainey, Chief Executive, Laois County Council; Declan Power, Chief Fire Officer; Richie Clear, Ormonde Construction and Amy Liddy and Troy Fagan, LCC Fire Service Administration. Seated: Lisa O’Shea and John Holohan, Ormonde Construction; Cllr Barry Walsh, Cathaoirleach of LCC and Siobhan Duff, LCC Fire Service Administration.
Photo: Alf Harvey.
On the vacant fire station, Mr Walton said at the April council meeting that following a callout for expressions of interest, several groups responded.
"I’d support a number of individuals coming together to see how the community can use the space,” he said.
Laois County Council CEO Michael Rainey noted the progress on replacing both Stradbally and Rathdowney stations, in giving his April council update.
"Both have been long running issues in this chamber, it’s good to see significant progress,” he said.
Cllr Vivienne Phelan and Cllr Paschal McEvoy both from the Portarlington Graiguecullen Municipal District, both asked local groups could have a viewing inside the old station.
The cost of the new Stradbally Fire Station is covered by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM). They have also approved €3m to build a new station for Rathdowney, with a tender callout for its designers now closed. Mr Walton said they will likely choose a design team before the end of May.
A new fire engine is also under order for Laois, costing the NDFEM €500,000.
Stradbally is the fourth busiest of the eight Laois stations, with 42 callouts by mid April this year.
The old fire station on Main Street Stradbally was built in 1954 and is no longer fit for purpose. As a result, the Stradbally fire crew moved into the old civil defence building at the junction of Main Street and the R427 Abbeyleix Road in January of 2025. This will be the site of the new fire station.
The construction of a new fire station in Rathdowney has been in the pipeline for 24 years since the council bought a site for it. The old building is also deemed not fit for purpose, with no facilities for its female fire crew members.