Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will ask for a report and send it to the Deputy. Speaking for my Department, when I became Minister for Social Protection there were a number of urgent issues relating to the social welfare status of retained firefighters around the country. As Minister, I gave priority to addressing the issue. We addressed it as a government as speedily as we could. It had been an outstanding issue for a very long period. Once again, I express my thanks to all the people who work in the fire services around the country. I agree with Deputy Calleary. We have worked as a government, and I have worked as Minister for Social Protection, to ensure in particular that members of the retained services in areas outside of the big cities, whose issues were outstanding for a long time, were addressed by me.

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