Mr. Dennis Keeley:

I will answer from a Dublin Fire Brigade perspective. The Chair quoted figures which Mr. Morton and Mr. Woods related to the NAS. People will be aware that there have been ongoing staffing difficulties within Dublin Fire Brigade for some years. It is more complex than recruiting more staff. There are other factors that we are trying to work through with our colleagues in the trade unions. We have a class that will finish its training very shortly, at the end of this month, and will become available to Dublin Fire Brigade over Christmas. A new recruit class of 45 will start in February and there will be another class later in the year. We hope to advertise for another panel.

The complexity of training and its duration was mentioned earlier. It is very difficult. Dublin Fire Brigade has conducted training throughout the Covid pandemic. That presented challenges to the training centre, its staff and the students who went through it. Dublin Fire Brigade is trying to engage with the trade unions. Much of the question has been advanced and we want to get the final piece across the road which would allow us to release more personnel into the system. We hope to fast-track training for next year for the second class, which is so vital and badly needed. That has to be acknowledged.