The Taoiseach has said “there is room for compromise” in relation to the industrial action of retained firefighters.
“We know that their terms and conditions need to improve and we’re committed to making that happen,” Leo Varadkar said.
His comments come as up to half of the stations in the retained fire service were due to close as part of an escalation of industrial action by the trade union representing workers in the sector.
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.
The system is designed to provide 24/7 cover, with retained firefighters also receiving a per-callout fee.
Siptu said retained firefighters are striking to ensure the Government’s report on the future of the service will be implemented to resolve the “recruitment and retention crisis that threatens to collapse this essential and life-saving community resource”.
Mr Varadkar was speaking during Leaders’ Questions where he was asked about a Sinn Féin motion to bring forward a financial investment package for retained fire services.
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald described the strike as unprecedented.
“Retained firefighters have been pushed to the very brink by Government, and they feel that they’ve been left with no choice.
“They are the very best of our communities. They do their jobs under incredibly difficult circumstances acting as first responders at scenes that most of us could never even imagine, saving lives – often putting their own lives on the line.”
“Their work is essential. It’s highly skilled, it’s life-saving, and it is totally undervalued by this Government.”
She said a Government review found that 58 per cent of retained firefighters said they were likely to leave the service within three years.
She said years of underinvestment and a failure to plan by Government has run the service into the ground.
Asked if he would back the Sinn Féin motion, Mr Varadkar said the Government values the work of retained firefighters.
“They’re highly committed frontline responders, providing an exceptional service in their communities across the State.
Mr Varadkar said a proposal to Siptu under the public sector pay agreement includes a 20 per cent increase in staffing, a rebalancing of pay, and more flexible working arrangements.
He said the dispute could be resolved at the Workplace Relations Commission.
The Taoiseach said that contingencies are in place and that any emergency calls about fires will be answered.
The industrial action began last week with retained firefighters refusing to engage with scheduled training and courses, large amounts of paperwork, and standard firefighting communications technology for the incident command system.
However, they continued to respond to emergency callouts as normal.
They are threatening an “all-out strike” if their concerns over recruitment and retention are not addressed.
Retained firefighters staged pickets at several fire stations including in Ardee, Co Louth.
Lorcan Conlon said retained firefighters like him were looking for reforms to the “outdated” system.
Speaking outside Ardee fire station, he said: “There are lads that can’t get time off when they need, it, they’re running out of their beds at 2am or 3am in the morning, not able to attend children’s football matches or anything.
“It’s a vicious circle because it’s become an unattractive job for someone to join so we can’t get anyone in the door and it’s getting hard to hold on to people we have.”
Elsewhere, firefighters in Drogheda held a picket outside the town’s civic offices.
Siptu public administration and community division organiser Karan O’Loughlin said the strike action will result in “very serious disruption” to services.
She said members have been left with no option but to commence the action as “the very future of the service is in doubt”.
Ms O’Loughlin said Siptu representatives received a phone call from representatives of Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien on Monday.
“In this call, the minister’s representatives expressed concern over the possible impact of the dispute on emergency services.
“They also informed the union that the minister will deliver ‘a positive statement’ in relation to the dispute in a Dáil debate on the matter.”
She added: “Our members will evaluate this statement after it is delivered but have no option but to proceed with their strike action as planned tomorrow morning.”
Siptu sector organiser Brendan O’Brien said: “Retained firefighters are striking to ensure that a Government report on the future of the service is implemented in full in order to resolve the recruitment and retention crisis that threatens to collapse this essential community resource.
“Siptu members in the retained fire service are serious and will escalate their industrial action to a full all-out strike on June 20th if the measures that are necessary to safeguard the future operation of this vital resource are not implemented.”
He added: “As always, Siptu representatives are available to engage in meaningful dialogue on the outstanding issues with the employers of our members at all times.”
