Minister for Public Safety Michael McGimpsey has visited the site of the new £2.6 million Armagh Fire Station and Community Fire Safety Centre.

Work began on the new state-of-the-art station - at Loughgall Road close to the City centre - in February 2008 and it is anticipated the building will be complete and the station operational in early 2009.

Mr McGimpsey said the new building will provide the dedicated firefighters with a truly modern and integrated Fire Station and Community Fire Safety Centre.

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The Minister said: "As part of the final Executive budget announced earlier this year, the Fire and Rescue Service in Northern Ireland is to benefit from a significant £50 million investment in fire appliances, rapid response vehicles, fire stations and up-to-date IT systems, and this new station in Armagh is just one of the many projects being taken forward in that infrastructure development programme."

William Gillespie, Chairman of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Board said: "We are delighted the construction of the new Fire Station in Armagh is well under way and making good progress.

"It will comfortably accommodate Firefighters and all their equipment, plus Fire Appliances and will include a large drill yard for training purposes.

"The Community Fire Safety Centre will be used to roll out our school and youth programmes on fire safety, and we look forward to welcoming local people into the Station as we envisage this building to be very much part of the community."

(VB/JM)