Martin Kenny (Sligo-Leitrim, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I was a member of Leitrim County Council for 12 years and during that time I got to know many of the retained firemen in my local community. They are part of the community. They live in the community. They serve that community. They are there when the most terrible crises in life happen for so many people.

In most parts of Ireland, when a crisis happens, when there is a huge accident and something catastrophic occurs, who are the people we call on? We call on people who are part time who are volunteering most of their time and effort for this.

They are highly trained. They have to train in the use of fire equipment, vehicles and breathing apparatus and yet these people are ordinary citizens who have to hold down other jobs as well.

When we need them, they are there for us. Therefore, it is incumbent on the Government to ensure it is there for them and that we are there to stand by them in their time of need. Their time of need is clearly now.

It is clear that the future is very dark for the retained fire service across the country. So many people who have been part of that service, over generations in some cases, tell me they will not get others to follow into it and people will simply not give up the time and effort which they are prepared to give to be part of that huge resource that is there for communities.

The Minister needs to act on this. The Minister needs to ensure that they are properly remunerated and that their pay and conditions are sorted out as was put in the Minister's own report. The Minister must follow through on it, not only for the firemen themselves but for the communities out there that depend so much upon them.

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