Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Last week, the Dáil heard statements after the tragedy at Creeslough. Our fire services in Donegal were called to respond to that, as were fire service from across the Border. Over the years of road tragedies, and one example I am thinking of was in Inishowen, where eight people lost their lives in one incident, we called the fire service to respond. When there was a tragedy in my town of Buncrana where a family drowned on our pier, it was the fire services who were at the pier side. That is what we ask them to do. It is an incredibly demanding and traumatic job. I remember a member of the fire service in Donegal told me he attended a road traffic accident where there was loss of life. It came into his head that perhaps his son might be among them but he just got on with the job. He was one of the fortunate families who did not get bad news but that is what we ask them to do. That is what we ask of our fire service.

The motion is about getting to the point as soon as we can where we have a fire service that is fit for purpose and where the issue of pay and conditions is addressed once and for all. It is about not putting impossible demands on them. As politicians in the Dáil and throughout the country, we thank them again and again. This is about substance. It is about making sure fire service personnel get what they deserve once and for all for representing us. That is what this is about. I commend the fire service personnel who are here today to protest. They are in the Public Gallery. I hope the Government does the right thing and that we will work together cross-party to solve this problem once and for all.

See this speech in context