Tipperary TD Martin Browne is calling on Minister Darragh O’Brien to act urgently to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the Fire Service as industrial action continues.
Retained Firefighters across the country are continuing with industrial action with 50% of stations closed at any time. SIPTU has given notice of an all-out strike on June 20th unless the dispute is resolved.
Minister Darragh O’Brien came in for scathing criticism from Opposition TDs yesterday when he failed to make any significant new offer.
The Dáil heard that the Minister’s office had indicated earlier yesterday that he would be making a “positive statement” in the Dáil during the debate on a Sinn Fein motion about the Fire Service.
The Minster made no new offer other than to repeat the promised increase in structured time off allowing firefighters to be off call for up to 20 weeks per year and to increase station numbers to a minimum of 12.
The Minister says any increase in pay will have to wait until talks start on a new national pay deal in the Autumn.
Firefighters watching the debate in the Dáil gallery left in protest at the statement.
Opposition TDs say unless more staff are recruited the time off cannot be delivered. Several TDs spoke of their station being reduced to 5 staff.
The Dáil heard that the first response to the Wexford General hospital fire was two firefighters and it was 40 minutes before a fire tender arrived from Enniscorthy.
Deputy Jennifer Whitmore, Social Democrat, accused the Minister of treating the Fire fighters with a lack of respect and says trust that the Minister will deliver a solution is eroded due to his Dáil statement.
Independent TD Verona Murphy questioned how the Government could give a civil servant an €80,000 increase outside of a “pay deal” but could not see that the firefighters job made them an exceptional case.
Tipperary TD Martin Browne says the staff shortage is putting the fire fighter’s safety at additional risks and if more staff leave the service could be lost to the community.
