Robbie Gallagher (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat, a Chathaoirligh. The Acting Leader is welcome to the seat this morning. Following on from comments by my good friend, Senator Gavan, on kites, I have decided to locate myself at the rear of the Chamber and will remain here until the Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, gets to his feet to announce the budget in order to avoid being struck by one of the kites from my good colleagues from Fine Gael.

On a more serious note, in times of emergency we depend on our emergency service workers. They are always there in our moment of need. One such cohort is firefighters, of which there are about 2,000 throughout the country. Unfortunately, firefighters will say they feel let down in relation to pay and reform. It is vital we listen to this cohort because in an emergency we depend on them. I do not know whether we need a discussion on pay and retention. That is a big issue. Firefighters will say people are joining all right but they are coming in one door and, after a year or two when they discover the terms and conditions, they are going out the exit door. I would be grateful if the Acting Leader could arrange a meeting with the Minister as soon as possible in order that we can have a discussion on fire service personnel and how we retain, let alone recruit, them. That may involve incentivising employers to employ them. I take my hat off to employers who employ fire service personnel because it is an inconvenience to them but is for the civic good. Alternatively, we may have to increase the pay. We need them. That much is certain. They are not happy and are talking of strike action. We do not want to get that far. I would be grateful if the Acting Leader could arrange for the Minister to come in here as soon as possible to discuss this vital service.