Matt Shanahan (Waterford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As the Minister outlined and heard from other speakers, we have significant problems within the retained fire service nationally. I will give some statistics for the Waterford fire stations. We have 32 full-time and 16 retained firefighters in the fire service in Waterford city. This crew of 48 handles approximately 450 calls per year. Outside the city, Kilmacthomas has six retained firefighters who handle between 120 and 150 calls per year. In Dunmore East, four retained firefighters deal with 80 calls each year and in Portlaw, six firefighters handle between 120 and 150 calls. What is most interesting about this is that the retained fire service often deals with traffic accidents. The N25, which services Waterford and the Kilmacthomas area up to Dungarvan, is now the worst road in the country for accidents and we are asking a depleted fire service to attend those accidents.

I will read a couple of notes from someone in the fire service in County Waterford who pointed out the major problems the service faces. Most stations are only crewed to 50% manning levels. The person highlights that no negotiated agreement has been in place since 1999 for a composite pay agreement. The average pay for a retained firefighter is €9,000 per annum, plus payments for call-outs. As the Minister knows, the number of call-outs has declined from some stations as the permanent fire service rather than the retained service is being called out. Firefighters cannot get loans for cars or mortgages because these are guided by the retained amounts of pay they receive. The average pension for a firefighter with 30 years' service attending 50 calls per annum will be €28.67 per week. One would wonder why people would do it at all - I certainly do.

Retention is a big problem, as the Minister highlighted, as is the lack of work-life balance. Firefighters are being asked not to take time off because the service is so depleted. To maintain the service they cannot go outside a five-mile radius of their station when they are on call and they cannot take annual leave. Those are significant problems. I can well understand the frustration of firefighters nationally coming to Dáil Éireann today to try to present their case and see whether Government is listening to their problems.

I listened to the Minister’s opening statement with a great deal of attention. He highlighted the 2,065 retained firefighters in the country and the 1,200 who he said do an invaluable service and are essential to communities and the public. There is no doubt that the retained firefighters, first and foremost, save lives, prevent damage and assist in safeguarding residential and commercial property. We know exactly what firefighters do and the invaluable service they give. However, we also know we are not paying them properly. We know that because we cannot retain people in the service or attract people to the service. Some 50% of those who are in the fire service have indicated they wish to get out of it as soon as possible.

The Minister highlighted that a review is taking place and I understand it was established recently. He also said it will examine significant matters, including roster times for retained firefighters, improvements in their work-life balance, attracting new recruits into the service, particularly young females, and retaining the very valuable experience in the retained fire service. These are all very laudable tasks and nobody could argue with them but the question is how to achieve that. The problem is that firefighters, like many others in the emergency services, have been hearing that help is on the way and the cavalry is just over the hill so they should hang in there because we are listening and working.

The Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, has left the Chamber. This review cannot come quickly or hard enough. We saw in the incident in Creeslough recently just how important the fire service is. What would we have done up there after that explosion if there had not been a manned fire service available to present with the ambulance people? How would that have looked? I ask the Minister to expedite this review and pay firefighters properly. They must be given proper terms and conditions for the critical work they do in supporting and helping our communities.

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