Mattie McGrath Warns Retained Firefighters May Strike Next Week
Deputy Mattie McGrath warned the retained fire service faces a crisis over pay and conditions and said retained fire officers are set to strike next week. He highlighted pay of approximately 700 per month (equating to 99 cents per hour), onerous on-call rules and compulsory training, and urged the Government to act.
Strike warning
McGrath said retained fire officers have served notice of industrial action and warned they are due to strike next week. He accused the LGMA of being denied meaningful negotiations and questioned who is in charge of resolving the dispute.
Pay and on-call conditions
He outlined that retained officers are paid approximately 700 per month, which he said equates to 99 cents per hour, and are required to be on call 24-7, 365 days a year while remaining within 3km or five minutes of the station. He also noted eight weeks of compulsory training in the first year and argued that less than 50 million will sort out the whole problem.
Government review and response
The minister said he commissioned a review that produced 13 recommendations which have been accepted and that work with stakeholders is under way. The minister urged that outstanding issues be resolved within the existing state infrastructure and said he did not intend to escalate the matter further, while expressing a desire to see the dispute resolved.
Local meetings and historical context
McGrath recalled meeting a group in Bragg on the Wicklow and referenced a minister from 21 years ago describing the situation then as a crisis state. He emphasised respect for firefighters who save lives and called for prompt action to address the crisis in the retained fire service.
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Questions about fire services here. The whole time I retain fire officers only in approximately 700 per month. That equates to 99 cents per hour. Be on call 24-7 for that, 365 days a year. Stay within 3km or within 5 minutes of the station. Minister, you've made a lot of promises to these, but now you've got to hide from them. You also do eight weeks compulsory training in the first year. Minister, these people are going to strike next week. You've said the Cabinet have signed off on this report you did. Minister Noel Dempsey, 21 years ago, said this was a crisis state. It's a huge crisis state now, and the LGMA are given the two fingers to the Government. Who's in charge here? Your Cabinet, your T-shirt, your Government, or the LGMA, who are denied to go into meaningful negotiations. Less than 50 million will sort out this whole problem. But it has to be sorted out, because we respect those people who save lives and put their lives on the line every day of the week. I met a group last night in Bragg on the Wicklow. We know what happened there some years ago as well. Minister Dempsey, a colleague of yours and your attorney, back 21 years ago, said this was a crisis. Now it's time for you to act and make the LGMA total line. Deputy, I've said it already today, and I'm glad you've raised the issue, and other colleagues have, because it shows the importance of the retained fire service. I commissioned the review, 13 recommendations that we've accepted. And we've been working with the all stakeholders to move the process forward, and we're very close to that. I think the best place for any of these outstanding issues to be resolved has been within the existing infrastructure of the state, and I'd ask the retained fire services representatives to do likewise. They have, as is their right, served notice of industrial action. I'm not going to escalate the matter any further, but suffice it to say that I, as Minister, want this resolved. And in relation to the area of pay, conditions, rostering, we've come a long way on that. I think, in fairness to the union representatives, recognize that too. There's some outstanding issues there that can be resolved, and I hope will be resolved. Thank you. Thank you.
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