'Their time of need is clearly now' - Leitrim TD backs firefighters amid ongoing strikes

A Leitrim TD has praised local retained firefighters for their dedication amid ongoing strikes in the industry. 

Members of Ireland's largest trade union, SIPTU, began a campaign of industrial action on June 6 due to a worsening recruitment and retention crisis in the service.  

According to SIPTU, almost 2,000 retained fire service members - who are required to provide 24/7 emergency response in their respective areas - are organised across 200 fire stations countrywide. 

Deputy Martin Kenny spoke during discussion of a Sinn Féin motion on the topic in the Dáil this week (June 13) and highlighted the difficulties facing the retained fire service in Sligo and Leitrim. 

He said, "They are highly trained. They have to train in the use of fire equipment, vehicles and breathing apparatus and yet these people are ordinary citizens who have to hold down other jobs as well.

"When we need them, they are there for us. Therefore, it is incumbent on the Government to ensure it is there for them and that we are there to stand by them in their time of need. Their time of need is clearly now." 

He continued: "It is clear that the future is very dark for the retained fire service across the country. So many people who have been part of that service, over generations in some cases, tell me they will not get others to follow into it and people will simply not give up the time and effort which they are prepared to give to be part of that huge resource that is there for communities." 

He called on the government to act and ensure firefighters are properly remunerated with appropriate pay and conditions. 

The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Daragh O'Brien, first responded to concerns raised by Deputy Kenny and other TDs by welcoming SIPTU’s confirmation that retained firefighters would comply with provisions of the 1992 Code of Practice for Emergency Disputes. 

This means members will continue to respond to emergency calls during strikes, however they will not conduct training, drills, or cooperate with radio calls through emergency centres. 

Minister O’Brien welcomed "the dedication of the retained firefighters who have served to minimise the impact on the public". 

He said, "Knowing firefighters as I do, I would not have expected any less from such a committed group of front-line workers." 

He also welcomed SIPTU members' acceptance of a revised model of service put forward by the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) following publication of a report by the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management in December 2022.

The report contained 13 recommendations aimed at improving fire services and addressing recruitment and retention issues. 

The revised model included changes such as an increase in staff of approximately 20% as well as structured time off, among other suggestions; however, a demand for a significant increase in pay remained an issue of contention. 

The LGMA - who claimed a pay increase is not possible outside the current national collective public pay agreement - has instead proposed a rebalancing of pay.

This includes a widening of the premium hours bands and additional fixed-earnings potential in the areas of pre-incident planning and home fire safety visits. 

Minister O'Brien said, "All Deputies will be familiar with public service agreements and how they work, and they all know rates of pay for public sector employees are set by collective agreements. They are put in place to ensure public service pay will be managed sustainably and in a climate of industrial peace.

"In practice, this means that despite what I or union representatives might like to see in an ideal scenario, it is not within our gift to make an exception or operate outside of the terms of national public service pay policy.

"That type of selectivity would completely unravel the collective approach that has served us well and helped to share our prosperity without industrial action that would jeopardise it.

"We have to jump together or we will all fall separately." 

He continued: "There is, however, a way forward that meets firefighters' needs and protects the integrity of the collective pay process. I do not believe there is an appetite within the retained brigades, local authority employers or my Department for this action to continue indefinitely.

"We all want to protect our communities, keep them safe and be there to support them through times of need. It is clear the issue of the fixed element of retained firefighter remuneration needs to be addressed to meet the legitimate needs of firefighters.

"In good faith, I want to state as clearly and simply as possible my personal commitment to ensuring the retainer payment will be positively dealt with in the upcoming national pay talks." 

The minister concluded by calling on SIPTU to re-engage with the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) as "the route out of an industrial relations dead end". 

According to Deputy Padraig MacLochlainn (SF), gathered firefighters walked out of the public gallery in response to the Minister's comments. 

Deputy MacLochlainn said, "How can the Minister possibly connect the working pay and conditions that have been so well reported to the people of Ireland over the past week on our public airwaves, namely, the shocking conditions where the firefighters are supposed to be available 50 weeks of the year, 24-7, within 3 km of their stations.

"With the type of pay and conditions they have, how can the Minister possibly compare them with every other public sector worker?"

He continued: "We have taken the salt of the earth of our country for granted for far too long. These are people with civic pride. They are agonising about this strike because if a fire or a road traffic collision happens in their community, they know the people involved. It is absolutely agonising to force people like that to go on strike." 

SIPTU members also reacted with outrage in response to Minister O'Brien's comments. 

In a statement published on Wednesday June 14, SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, Karan O Loughlin, said, "In his statement, [Minister O'Brien] said nothing can be done concerning the recruitment and retention crisis in their service until new public sector talks commence, adding that firefighters should take ‘his word’ that he would seek to rectify the serious structural issues in the service then.

"This is nowhere near good enough and has made resolution of this dispute more difficult. 

"Our members believed that when they entered into discussions on the implementation of the Coyne Report on reform of the Retained Fire Service in January, the process would be meaningful and would deliver improvements in a reasonable time frame. They now hear the Minister saying that while he supports their cause, he can do nothing about it in advance of new public service pay talks." 

She continued: "The Coyne Report asserts that additional expenditure is required. Mr O’Brien and the public expenditure and finance ministers need to put their heads together and arrange for the allocation and release of funds required to action the Coyne Report reforms if this strike is to be resolved." 

SIPTU Sector Organiser, Brendan O’Brien, also commented and said, "Firefighters across the country are receiving overwhelming public support for their strike action. They are steadfast and resolute in the pursuit of their objectives and the Minister’s statement last night has strengthened their resolve to escalate their industrial action, as planned, if necessary." 

In a further statement published on Thursday June 15, O Loughlin stated SIPTU members employed as retained firefighters will begin to resign from the service in large numbers from the beginning of next week (the week of Monday June 19). 

She said, "There is no sign of a breakthrough in this dispute and with all out strike action to begin on Tuesday 20th June, which will result in the closure of all retained fire stations across the country, an increasing number of SIPTU members have made clear they are considering resigning from the service. 

"This strike was a last resort to endeavour to improve the service and prevent it from total collapse but the pressure on the community that full closure of stations will bring could well be a burden too far for already overburdened firefighters.”  

She added, “Many would rather walk away altogether. If this happens, with crewing already at crisis levels, the service will collapse and will take years to rebuild as those firefighters will not return if they leave.” 

Brendan O’Brien also commented and said, "The only action that can save this vital community resource from disaster is that the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage Darragh O’Brien and the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform, Paschal Donohoe, put their heads together and arrange for the allocation of sufficient funds to address the necessary reforms that can resolve the recruitment and retention crisis in the retained fire service."