Derek Nolan (Galway West, Labour)
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Question 146: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to make the fire service more efficient while protecting front-line services; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that when compared to other jurisdictions, the fire service appears to be top-heavy, with, for example, 272 senior staff for 2459 fire fighters; if his further attention has been drawn to the fact that the fire service has 37 fire authorities, 29 chief fire officers and 82 assistant chief fire officers; if his attention has been drawn to fact that the Northern Ireland Fire Service has one fire authority, one chief officer and two assistant chief fire officers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14618/11]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Fire services are provided by the 37 statutorily designated fire authorities, and are accordingly structured around the principal local authorities. The Farrell Grant Sparks review of fire services in Ireland concluded unambiguously that this is an appropriate approach which should be strengthened. The review's recommendations were dealt with conclusively by the further strengthening of national leadership through the establishment of the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management.

Although structured around the principal local authorities, for operational purposes there is a sharing of services among a number of fire authorities, such as in Dublin, Galway, Louth and Westmeath. The fire services have been to the fore also in using the "shared services" concept, and have provided training and mobilisation and communications facilities on a regional basis for some years now. I have recently approved a new programme of joint procurement of fire appliances which further extends this concept, and is expected to deliver budgetary and administrative savings.

The national blueprint and programme for developing and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of Fire Services is set out in the recently agreed Irish Fire Services National Development Framework 2010-2015. The Framework sets out policies and key actions in the areas of Fire Services Role in Society; National Processes and Standards; Staff Learning and Development; Quality Assurance Systems and Reporting Performance; and Service Infrastructure and Legislative Support. The Framework was prepared by my Department's National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management, which is also managing the implementation of its actions through close working with its Management Board and Consultative Committee, which ensures that all key stakeholders, including staff representatives, are involved. I will forward a copy of the Framework to the Deputy.

At the most recent count, there are 271 officers (including the 29 Chief Fire Officers) and 3,416 fire fighters countrywide, who provide and manage the delivery of fire services from 220 fire stations, using a fleet of some 500 vehicles. The annual budget provided by local authorities (and managed by the Chief Fire Officers) for running fire services is of the order of €240m. It should be noted that requests for staffing in the fire services have been approved within the Employment Control Framework.

In undertaking any international comparison, it is vital to look at the duties and functions carried out by the Fire Service in Ireland. This is a broad range and encompasses fire prevention work, including community fire safety; running the Building Control and dangerous buildings service; leading major emergency management within the local government system and in the inter-agency regional structures; running mobilisation and communication centres as well as training centres on a regional basis; liaising with and in some cases running the Civil Defence service; and making input to national policy development and delivery. All these areas of work are managed by the 29 Chief Fire Officers (at a ratio of one Chief per eight senior fire officers).

This expanded range of functions may be in contrast with other jurisdictions to which the question refers. In Northern Ireland, Fire and Rescue Services are not provided by local authorities, but operate as a single regional authority, headed by a Chief Fire Officer who is supported by two Assistant Chief Fire Officers. It also has an officer cadre, appropriate to the needs of the organisation, and a different structure to that in this jurisdiction, with Directors, Managers, Group Commanders, Assistant Group Commanders and so on, as well as a significant headquarters staffing complement. At the other end of the scale, in Denmark, which has a population similar to Ireland, I understand there are some 98 Chief Fire Officers in the local government system.

I consider that the Irish Fire Service is appropriately structured and I appreciate the high quality of services provided and managed by our senior fire officers. In accordance with the Irish Fire Services National Development Framework, there will continue to be a significant continuing agenda of development work which senior fire personnel will lead.