LAST UPDATE | 15 Jun 2023

DOZENS OF RETAINED firefighters are protesting outside the Dáil today as part of industrial action over a pay dispute.

There are approximately 2,000 Siptu members who work as retained firefighters at more than 200 fire stations around the country, providing fire and first-responder emergency services across the country.

Retained firefighters are not full-time employees and are instead paid a retainer to be on call for fire stations.

Today, dozens of retained firefighters from the across the country and their family members protested outside the Dáil and handed their on-call pagers to opposition TDs to give to Minister for Local Government Darragh O’Brien.

National Retained Firefighters Association members picketing the Dáil today calling for fair pay. pic.twitter.com/DaKwQzu59h

— David Mac Redmond (@DavidMacRedmond) June 15, 2023

Inside the Dáil, a heated exchange between the Minister and Sinn Féin TD Pearse Doherty ended in commotion after Doherty’s fellow party-member John Brady crossed the Dáil floor and left an on-call pager on the notebook of the Minister.

Doherty reminded the Minister of the protest outside the Dáil today in cabinet, adding that the group are “very, very angry”.

“An intervention is required now. So I’m asking you to make an improved offer in relation to pay of retained firefighters,” Doherty added.

Doherty then challenged the Minister to go out to the Dáil’s front gate and meet with the protesting firefighters.

As Doherty finished up his remarks, Deputy Brady walked down the stairs of the chamber and approached the Minister’s desk, leaving the pager on top of his notes.

This was the moment that Sinn Féin TD John Brady crossed the floor of Dáil Éireann to present Minister Darragh O'Brien with the on-call pager of a retained firefighter.

Retained firefighters are threatening mass resignation over pay, recruitment, retention and other issues. pic.twitter.com/BB1fGzooNs

— TheJournal.ie (@thejournal_ie) June 15, 2023

This move nearly suspended the Dáil as the Ceann Comhairle said Deputy Brady was “completely out of order” and labelled it “outrageous behaviour”.

O’Brien said: “I commissioned the independent review. I wasn’t asked to do it. I commissioned it, I published it, I’ve been to cabinet twice. All 13 recommendations were accepted by government.

“Lots of progress was made around rostering, around minimum staffing per station [...] and there remains the issue of pay.”

O’Brien said he is “very confident” that this issue can be resolved and that he has “immense regard” for the men and women of the retained fire service.

O’Brien encouraged the unions representing the firefighters to “reengage” with the states process and that he has given “an absolute commitment” that he will advocate on the behalf of the group at the public sector pay-talks next month.

Siptu Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, Karan O’Loughlin said this morning that a “mass resignation” of retained firefighters will begin if the government does not.

The system is designed to provide 24/7 cover, with retained firefighters also receiving a per-callout fee.

Industrial action saw up to half of the fire stations in the service close this week.

Members are threatening an “all-out strike” if their concerns over recruitment and retention are not addressed.

Siptu’s public administration and community division organiser Karan O Loughlin said that “there is no sign of a breakthrough in this dispute and with all-out strike action to begin on Tuesday June 20, which will result in the closure of all retained fire stations across the country, an increasing number of Siptu members have made clear they are considering resigning from the service”.

“This strike was a last resort to endeavour to improve the service and prevent it from total collapse but the pressure on the community that full closure of stations will bring could well be a burden too far for already overburdened firefighters,” she said.

“Many would rather walk away altogether. If this happens, with crewing already at crisis levels, the service will collapse and will take years to rebuild as those firefighters will not return if they leave.”

Siptu sector organiser Brendan O’Brien called on Government ministers to “arrange for the allocation of sufficient funds to address the necessary reforms that can resolve the recruitment and retention crisis in the retained fire service” in order to save this vital community resource from disaster”.

A Labour TD has also pushed for Government action ahead of the possible resignations.

TD Seán Sherlock said that the “failure of the Minister to address concerns around pay, terms, conditions, recruitment and retention this week is simply shocking”.

“There is now a serious public safety issue at the heart of Government intransigence on firefighter pay. The time for burying their head in the sands in now over,” Sherlock said.

“Successive ministers have let this issue simmer without taking any meaningful action to address the concerns at the heart of the dispute. Communities will pay a high price for Government failure to grasp the nettle for our retained firefighters service.”

Includes reporting from Press Association