Only six out of ten positions in the Retained Fire Services in Drogheda are currently filled
Sinn Féin TD Imelda Munster has called for support for proposals to address the recruitment and retention crisis in the Retained Fire Service being brought forward by Sinn Féin this week.
A recent survey revealed that 60% of the Retained Fire Service intend to leave in the near future, many within the next year.
In Drogheda, only six out of ten positions in the Retained Fire Services are currently filled, and the service has not been fully staffed for many years.
Minister Darragh O’Brien TD’s failure to engage with the Retained Fire Service has led to a situation where there is danger to the safety of both members of the Retained Fire Service and members of the public.
Teachta Munster said: “The service is haemorrhaging firefighters and when you examine the working conditions and pay of those in the service it’s not hard to see why.
“In Drogheda, firefighters are expected to work six 24 hour shifts in a row with only two days off. This is 144 hours a week. During these 144 hours that they are on call they are expected to maintain a five minute response time to the station.
“This five minute response time is proving to be increasingly difficult for firefighters to maintain as the town develops and the housing crisis worsens.
“If firefighters miss their response time fire crews are left to respond to emergencies without a full crew. Missing response times also affects their pay.
“The lack of political leadership from Minister Darragh O’Brien to resolve the retention and recruitment crisis has led to the Retained Fire Fighters balloting its members for industrial action.
“Sinn Féin has been calling for the establishment of a cross-party Joint Oireachtas Committee to conduct a full and independent review of how the national retained fire service is delivered across the state.
“Sinn Féin is asking that this committee sits for four months. The Committee should be tasked to undertake a consultation of witnesses and stakeholders to examine pay, conditions, and management of the Retained Fire Service, before bringing forward a report with key recommendations for the government to act upon.
“Notices have all been served on the chief executives of the local authorities across the state, and the balloting of members has commenced.
“It is reported to be as high as 97% in favour of industrial/strike action in some areas, which is indicative of the sense of crisis felt across the state.
“The Retained Fire Service delivers an invaluable service for our communities across the state, including County Louth. We owe them a debt of gratitude.
“Members of the service are professional, dedicated and want to make the service better, and a safer place to work.
“Failure to address the problems is placing the health and safety of its members and members of the public in danger during emergency callouts.
“I am asking the government to listen to the firefighters and address these concerns. The service is in crisis and we need an urgent response from Minister O’Brien and his government colleagues.”
