I take this opportunity to thank and congratulate all of the professionals in the fire service who are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to provide a public service. I witnessed that service at first hand over Easter as gorse fires were tackled between Good Friday and Easter Sunday in various parts of the country. In my own county, every single fire unit was called out to prevent the burning of any more houses than that which was lost. A number of vehicles were also burned.