Kieran O'Donnell (Limerick City, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It is simple. We have to find a way out of this dispute with the retained firefighters. We cannot continue to have disputes. It is not good for retained firefighters or for dealing with issues on the ground when there are fires. What is being put forward is that the Government is asking SIPTU to make use of the normal industrial relations machinery, which is the WRC, to re-engage and talk to the LGMA on behalf of the local authorities, which employ the retained firefighters, to find a way to get this resolved.

It is not fair to say that some issues have not been addressed. Many of the issues that came up in the report have been addressed. The main issue that remains from the retained firefighters' side is the amount of the fixed retainer payment. I appreciate that, but ultimately we are calling for the firefighters, and more particularly their representative body, SIPTU, to re-engage with the WRC. That is not an unreasonable request. The retained firefighters do phenomenal work on the ground. We have to find a solution to resolve this. The Minister has dealt with this in good faith. It is not fair that people are saying there is not good faith in this. There is. The report would not have been commissioned if not.

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