Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal, Fianna Fail)
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My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire safety and fire service provision, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects and the procurement of essential frontline fire appliances, ancillary vehicles and equipment.

Fire services are provided in Ireland by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. Under this legislation, 31 local authorities provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures. Local authority fire services are delivered by approximately 3,300 local authority staff engaged at 217 fire stations nationwide, with 16 of these stations staffed by full-time firefighters, a further 4 are mixed full-time and retained, and 197 are staffed by retained firefighters.

My Department continues to support the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) who are leading engagement with staff representatives on the implementation of recommendations contained within the Retained Review published in December 2022 and the WRC Agreement. I continue to closely monitor the engagement of the LGMA and Fire Services Management to ensure that the implementation of the WRC agreement continues to be a top priority for 2024.

When the WRC agreement was concluded, I committed to advocate for a further increase in the Retainer payment. During the most recent payment talks I engaged directly with Minister Donohoe, supporting D/PENDR's direct talks with SIPTU on this issue. The outcome of the current agreement, which is currently being considered by the staff side, reflects an agreed position with SIPTU, as follows: "The parties commit to remain in process with a view to concluding the current retainer and associated attendance commitments for Retained Firefighters.

In this context, it is important to reflect on the substantive uplift in income that has already been delivered through the new WRC agreement. This went beyond recommendation two of the Retained Review which only mandated re-balancing of the payment structure that was in place. The current improvements in pay are in addition to a much lower level of commitment to attend incidents with more flexibility for individual firefighters.

I remain fully committed to the completion of a process on the Retainer payment. Official engagement on this issue, led by the LGMA, will commence following ratification of the new public service pay agreement.