Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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237. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the position regarding Keeping Communities Safe policy; if he will take on board the concerns expressed by front-line firefighters in relation to a number of its elements; the way he plans to proceed from here on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13669/15]

Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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The policy document Keeping Communities Safe, (KCS) was published in February 2013, as national policy for the future direction of fire services in Ireland and embeds the internationally accepted Risk Management Approach to safety.

KCS was developed through a collaborative process which included consultation with stakeholders. The KCS development process had the benefit of oversight and international expertise from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue and the overall approach is aligned with international best practice in this field. KCS is the first time national standards were set to aid consistency in fire services provision by local authorities and fire services can now be benchmarked against these national standards, using an Area Risk Categorisation process set out in KCS.

While I am aware that certain parties have been active in raising concerns about KCS, I am not aware of any specific negative consequences that have been identified for either crewing or staffing levels in the fire services. Assurances have and continue to be given to fire services personnel and the public that KCS is about quality and consistency in fire services in Ireland and is neither about cost-cutting nor diminishing public safety or fire-fighter health and safety.

The reality on the ground is that fire-fighters, almost uniquely among public servants, have been protected from the economic difficulties of recent years. Fire-fighter numbers in Ireland have been maintained at a constant level since the introduction of the moratorium on recruitment in local authorities in 2009. Likewise, local authority funding for fire services has been prioritised and maintained for the past four years, at a time when general local authority spending has declined very considerably.

I have indicated previously that the door for discussions with the recognised Trade Union bodies remains open. I would urge them to identify any specific issues of concern to them and engage in constructive dialogue on any such matters with the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA), the body representing local fire authorities.