Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We all acknowledge the way our retained fire services have changed down the years. There is a retainer payment and then there are call-out payments. Due to improvements in fire safety, the number of call-out payments has reduced and that needs to be reflected in changes to their terms and conditions. We acknowledge that as a Government. As I said earlier, an offer has been made which includes a 20% increase in staff with a minimum of 12 firefighters at each station, structured time off, individual flexibility with regard to availability, 50 additional promotional positions around the country and flexibility to attend calls when on scheduled leave if desired. We have a pay deal between the Government and the trade unions which involves pay increases across the board across the year. We have to honour that agreement and the union side has to honour it as well. We expect that to be done. The talks so far have not been successful but they can resume. As I said, these disputes are always resolved in the end and if needs be they can be resolved at the Workplace Relations Commission. That office of government is available to assist should both sides be willing to engage.

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