Lynn Boylan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Some Senators may have seen video coverage in the media of a large fire in a terraced building next door to a pub in Tallaght village last weekend. Thankfully, five fire engines quickly arrived on the scene and were able to prevent the fire spreading in what could have been a catastrophic fire for the village. In the past few days, Dublin Fire Brigade has shown variety in its work. Apart from the fire in Tallaght, it rescued a horse from a water-filled ditch with a teleporter in north Dublin and firefighters used a 45 m crane to extricate a person from a building site. In all cases, the men and women of the Dublin Fire Brigade were prompt and brave and complete each task in hand successfully. The same men and women of the Dublin Fire Brigade continue to be treated disgracefully, however.

Frustration has been growing in the stalled recruitment of firefighters for Dublin Fire Brigade. Talks that were held in February had promised to boost staffing levels but doubt now lingers over those plans. It seems that elements of the agreement are now in doubt with firefighters, once again, voicing their concerns on staffing due to a lack of clarity on the future of recruitment. This year, 72 new recruits joined the fire brigade but a competition has not opened to fill the panel for next year's prospective trainees. With approximately 30 retirements a year, the recruitment policy is simply not working. This needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency. Firefighters are rightly disgruntled and frustrated with the way they are being treated.

In addition, it is also unfair that only paramedics employed by Dublin Fire Brigade delivering services on behalf of the HSE are entitled to the €1,000 Government pandemic bonus payment for front-line workers. The bonus should have been paid to all 965 Dublin Fire Brigade firefighters. It is totally unacceptable that the Government failed to do that. My colleague, Councillor Daithí Doolan, raised this matter at Dublin City Council's recent budget meeting and the Lord Mayor has agreed to write to the Minister on behalf of all councillors urging the Government to make the €1,000 pandemic bonus payment.I ask that Senators, particularly those from Dublin, support the proposal and contact the Minister to encourage him not to forget the firefighters who remained very much on the front line during the pandemic.

While I am discussing the Dublin Fire Brigade, I would like to raise the issue of gender balance in the fire service. Of those 965 firefighters, only 56 are women which amounts to a gender balance of 94% male and 6% female. In 2022, I think we can all agree that this is outrageous and must be addressed as a matter of urgency. A plan needs to be put in place to rectify that alongside a recruitment process. That process is not working at the moment and we need to ensure it addresses the gender balance.

I urge that clarity be brought to the stalling new recruitments to Dublin Fire Brigade. I ask that the Government pay all Dublin firefighters the €1,000 pandemic bonus and that the gender balance within the Dublin Fire Brigade be addressed urgently.