Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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Question 84: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of retained firefighters employed by each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14747/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The number of retained firefighters employed by each local authority based on the December 2011 quarterly staffing returns from local authorities is outlined in the following table:

Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason the recruitment panel for Dublin Fire Brigade was discontinued without any consultation with applicants who were on the panel; if he will urgently review this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14783/12]

Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 86: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the numbers of staff of Dublin Fire Brigade who have retired for each of past three years up to and including the end of February 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14784/12]

Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount spent on an annual basis on overtime payments for Dublin Fire Brigade in each of the years 2010, 2011 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14785/12]

Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is a sufficient number of front-line staff in Dublin Fire Brigade to comply with the recommendations of the Farrell Grant Sparks Consulting report 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14786/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 85 to 88, inclusive, together.

Under section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each County and City Manager is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements, including recruitment and day to day operational measures, necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. Under the terms of the moratorium on recruitment, any exceptions in respect of local authorities require prior sanction from my Department. In this regard, it is a matter for City and County managers, in the first instance, to ensure that the reduction in staff numbers is managed so that the appropriate service level is maintained. My Department works very closely with local authorities to ensure that critical posts are filled while overall numbers are reduced.

I understand that the position in relation to staffing in Dublin Fire Brigade is kept under constant review by Dublin City Council management and that the panel which was in place since 2007 expired in December 2011. Dublin City Council has reduced its overall staff numbers from 7,326.15 Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) in June 2008 to 6,072.35 in December 2011, a reduction of 1,254 (17%). In the same period the total number of full time fire fighters in Dublin City Council increased from 825 WTE to 876 WTE. The cost of operational overtime for Dublin Fire Brigade in 2010 was €3.095m and in 2011 it was €3.09m. This is expected to reduce in 2012.

In 2002, the Report of the Review of Fire Safety and Fire Services in Ireland was published by my Department. The principal recommendations included more focus on fire safety, including the introduction of community fire safety initiatives; the enhancement of fire safety legislation, the adoption of a risk-based approach to determining emergency cover as well as new approaches and structures for major emergency management. In addition, the Report called for continued capital investment to improve infrastructure and further development of safety, health and welfare arrangements. Much has been accomplished in the past decade since publication of the Report and the key recommendations of the Report have been implemented.

Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 89: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, further to Parliamentary Question No. 113 of 28 September 2011 which confirmed that his Department supports a broad range of social interventions, including community warden schemes, under the sustainable communities fund and as part of the national regeneration programme, if funding will continue to be provided in the current year by his Department for community warden posts in Sligo as part of the overall regeneration programme for the Sligo eastern quadrant; if the number of community warden posts in Sligo will be increased in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14805/12]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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My Department is committed to funding the completion of a comprehensive master plan for the Sligo regeneration project together with a number of community based social and physical regeneration measures, including the community wardens scheme. My Department currently provides funding for the employment of two community wardens and there are no proposals to increase this number in 2012.