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Tue 07 Jul 2008Malicious fires take 40% of fire and rescue budget
THE COST of tackling malicious fires in Northern Ireland is eating up 40 per cent of the annual £77 million budget of the North’s fire and rescue service, according to figures obtained by DUP Assembly member Simon Hamilton.
Minister for Health and Public Safety Michael McGimpsey told Mr Hamilton that almost £31 million was spent last year dealing with more than 14,000 malicious fires. The figures also showed that it cost more than £145 million to tackle some 73,000 deliberately set fires over the past five years.
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