Michael McNamara (Clare, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Is the Minister saying that the retainer paid to retained firefighters is going to be linked to the pay of other public service employees as part of the public service agreement, guaranteeing them a real, proper wage? That is something they would welcome but I do not believe that is what the Minister is saying. I would very much like to see that happening because of the service that they provide. Of course many of them are already on social welfare so it is already costing the State because due to the onerous requirements around being a retained fire officer, it is very hard to get employment. If an employer is willing to facilitate them, they have to be within a certain distance from the station.

In regard to the other successful negotiations that the Minister pointed to and how well they were going, but for the fact that there is going to be a strike next week, does the LGMA enjoy some kind of a veto over the Department? The Government signed off on something and agreed with something and then it passed it back to negotiations and the LGMA vetoed it. The Minister wrote in a letter to Congress that their pay would be honoured in spirit and in letter. Will they get their weekend allowance? Is the LGMA going to be allowed to be allowed to veto it, as the LGMA is allowed to veto progress with regard to the retained fire officers?

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