Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

It is a damning indictment of the continued failures of successive Governments that this situation has been allowed to develop. The asks of our retained firefighters are in the ha'penny place compared with the service they provide our community. Their asks are for a safe environment, an appropriate staffing level, and decent pay and conditions. These are asks that if we were to hear of any other workers asking for in our communities, we would be shocked and horrified that they do not exist already. I heard the Minister speaking of clear pathways, memos and reviews. He may correct me if I am wrong from his only copy of this speech, he actually called for "a spirit of reconciliation" by the firefighters. These are the people who are standing out there protesting to ensure our retained fire services are the best they can be. The Minister wants them to engage in reconciliation. I truly hope I heard the Minister wrong because if I did not, that really beggars belief.

It is a dangerous job that these men and women do, and it is made even more dangerous when they are forced to operate at low crew numbers. I have heard talk of investment in capital from the Government side over the past few days. Investment in capital and equipment means nothing if the personnel are not on the ground to be able to use it. We recognise and value retained firefighters on this side of the House. It is beyond time that those on the other side of the House began to do the same.

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