Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Taoiseach. As he well knows, the discussions broke down on 11 May. He has acknowledged that the retained firefighters are under pressure. As I said earlier, they are on call 24-7. They cannot move further than a radius of 2.5 km without sanction. They make very considerable personal sacrifices. Their retainer, their fixed salary, starts at the huge sum of €8,500 per annum. There has to be movement on that. The Taoiseach has to bring more than hope to the table or offer more than passing the buck. It is essential that there is meaningful engagement. There can be no further delay.

The relevant Department has had some limited contact with union representatives, but we need to see that stepped up. Positive comments that might be made here on the floor of the Dáil are all well and good, but what we need is a proper realistic offer that rewards these essential front-line workers for the lifesaving tasks they undertake. I agree with the Taoiseach in terms of getting back around the negotiating table. What will he, as Head of Government, do to make sure that good-faith negotiations resume without further delay?

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