Kildare councillors back firefighters money claim

Local councillors have thrown their weight behind the campaign by retained firefighters for an effective increase in pay..

A number of them called on government ministers to find the necessary money and bring forward meaningful proposals to address the issue.

Clr Ciara Galvin said they must live within five minutes of the fire station and regularly miss out on family occasions.

She also said that people don’t engage in industrial action lightly.

Noting they received €8,700 per year, Cllr Noel Connolly said they have been forced into this difficult position by the refusal of the government to meaningfully engage with them.

“I would like to express my admiration and appreciation to the retained firefighters who keep our communities safe across the country at huge personal sacrifice to themselves. They are restricted from travelling outside a radius of as low as two and a half kilometres from their station without first obtaining permission, which has a huge negative impact on their own and their families lives. The list of family occasions that they miss go on and on and including sporting events, communions, confirmations and family birthday parties."

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The councillor also claimed at a Kildare County Council meeting that recruitment and retention levels in the service are beyond crisis point, as confirmed in the government’s recent review, which found that 58 per cent of current members were likely to leave the service within the next three years.

“Due to current staffing shortages, the demands being placed upon current members and their families are unsustainable. The ongoing failure to address the problems of the service is placing the health and safety of its members, and the public, in danger.”

He added: “The government must bring forward a financial investment package which allows for the creation of a new framework for service delivery for retained fire services, and provides for increased remuneration and better conditions for its members.”