Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister is probably aware, a panel was established by the Dublin Fire Brigade in 2007. Thousands of individuals were interviewed and went through standard recruitment procedures and tests. Some 190 people were placed on the panel. In total, the recruitment process cost €300,000. Of the 190 people placed, 83 were formally recruited into the system.

In February 2012, the panel was scrapped. In a letter to one of the recruits who had been on the panel, the fire service executive manager, Mr. Gerry Geraghty, stated that the panel had been scrapped due to the difficult economic circumstances. Mr. Geraghty stated, "The decision to terminate the Panel was not taken lightly and we understand the time and effort put in by applicants. Unfortunately Dublin Fire Brigade, like all public services, have been particularly affected by the economic downturn". As such, the panel was abandoned.

More recently, Dublin City Council management has agreed to fill 53 of the city's 80 outstanding vacancies within the terms of the Croke Park agreement. Undoubtedly, the gaps in the service need to be filled. However, it is astonishing that management has decided to embark on a new external recruitment procedure to fill 28 of the 53 vacancies. Given the fact that €300,000 of public money has already been spent to establish a panel of qualified, able and willing people interested in serving as firefighters, it is baffling that management would take it upon itself to open a new process. I have called on Dublin City Council's management to review this decision, to abandon any notion of another costly recruitment drive and to offer the 28 places to the 100 persons remaining on the old panel.

When the Minister rises, I suspect his reply will be to the effect that this is a matter for Dublin City Council and that he can do nothing about it. Given the amount of public money spent to date, I urge him to play a hands-on role. Capable and qualified recruits have been identified to undertake this important work. In these difficult economic circumstances, to cite Mr. Geraghty, there is no excuse or rationale for Dublin City Council being allowed to spend more taxpayers' money on another recruitment process.

See this speech in context