James Bannon (Fine Gael)

Has the chief fire officer ultimate control over the manager so that the manager cannot intervene in any case? The Minister of State mentioned oral warnings. The spoken word can be misinterpreted and I fear what would happen if it went to court. In court, there can be a different interpretation taken of the written word and the spoken word. If a person cannot produce a document stating the specific reasons for closure, local authorities could be in trouble in the courts.

The decision should ultimately rest with the chief fire officer. While it is a managerial function to appoint staff, the position of chief fire officer should be paramount and no other official should be allowed to intervene in such matters. Only the courts should have jurisdiction over a fire officer if a case is taken.