Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I listened with interest to the Minister of State's response. What he said is fact but the case I am making is that these people are well qualified, well trained and keep themselves up to date on all the new ways of dealing with fire. Nobody truly appreciates the work they do until the fire service is needed. The efficient way they carry out their work deserves great credit.

The rules and regulations on retirement are 15 years old. We are told nowadays that 60 is the new 50, so these people are well capable of working for longer. If the same rules applied here in the Dáil, to myself in particular, there would be far fewer people around the Dáil. As it stands, however, nobody can say we do not do our jobs as best we can. These firefighters are fit to carry on their work, subject to medical examination, and this should be considered. At the time these regulations were brought in, such people could claim their pension at 65 years of age but some will now have to wait until they are 67, 68 or 69, so they will be ten years retired and still not able to get an old age pension. This is wrong and should be looked at. I ask the Minister of State to consult the Department to see if anything can be done in this regard.

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