Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I was glad to raise this important issue with the Taoiseach earlier today. I spoke about Kerry firefighters, the members of crew KY 18 and all the other people who represent our county so well and do such important work. I thank Sinn Féin for bringing this motion before the Dáil. We in the Rural Independent Group welcome the opportunity it presents to shed light on a matter of the utmost importance. We fully support the motion. We call out the awful lack of Government action to address the concerns of our brave retained firefighters.

These men and women, who selflessly keep our communities safe, have been pushed to the edge, forcing them to take industrial action, which is something they do not want to do. Imagine this: our retained firefighters are bound by restrictions that prevent them from travelling beyond a few kilometres from their stations without permission. Think about the enormous impact this has on their lives and on the lives of their families. They sacrifice so much in order to be local and available. They undergo extensive training and dedicate countless hours to prepare themselves for the unthinkable ask and task of running into burning buildings to save lives. What do they get in return? A guaranteed income that can be as little as €8,696 per year. It does not end there. Recruitment and retention levels have reached a crisis point. A recent Government review revealed that a staggering 58% of currently retained firefighters expressed their intention to leave the service within the next three years. Can we afford to let our firefighting force crumble before our eyes? No. The demands placed on our dedicated firefighters and their families have become unsustainable due to the severe staffing shortages.

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