Martin Ferris (Kerry North, Sinn Fein)
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Question 98: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if he will make a statement on the need for all local fire services to be provided with standardised training. [28439/07]

Tony Killeen (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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The training of fire service personnel is the statutory duty of individual fire authorities. Fire authorities provide initial recruit training, as well as training in the use of breathing apparatus to an agreed national syllabus, to all entrants to the fire service. Additionally, fire authorities provide ongoing training, including training in response to specialist incident types, such as road traffic accidents, hazardous materials, rescue from heights, water rescue, fires involving ships, as appropriate to the hazards in their functional areas.

The Fire Services Council, established in 1983 under the Fire Services Act 1981, provides a central training programme for fire officers which complements and supplements the local training programmes of the fire authorities. The training delivered by the Council is based on national syllabi. As part of the Fire Services Change Programme fire service training will be aligned with the National Framework of Qualifications of Ireland as part of the Further Education Training Awards Council accreditation system. I am satisfied that the fire service, both retained and full-time, is a highly trained and professional service.