*Photograph: John Mangan
A CLARE COUNCILLOR who works as a retained firefighter in Ennistymon has warned it will take “a disaster” before change is forthcoming in the pay and conditions of those working in the service.
Elected members of Clare County Council on Monday unanimously backed a motion calling on the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Darragh O’Brien (FF) and the Minister for Public Expenditure, Paschal Donohoe (FG) “to provide the funding necessary to sustain and enhance the Retained Fire Service now and for future generations”.
Cllr Cillian Murphy (FF) who tabled the motion said the commitment of firefighters was evident every time they answered a call to “deal with dangerous, and often traumatic situations, and emergencies most of the rest of us couldn’t begin to imagine, let alone cope with. They are almost always the first responders on scene for many of the more rural parts of the county, including very often, medical emergencies”.
He stated, “None of the other 99.5% of public sector workers are on call 24/7/365, and very, very, few have to face the situations our retained fire fighters do. For that reason alone, it is my belief the government can and should make a special case for improved conditions for our retained fire fighters. The long term consequences of not doing so is the demonstrable erosion in the ability of retained fire stations across the country to recruit and retain quality members of staff”.
Mayor of Clare, Cllr Tony O’Brien (FF) said during the course of his term in the role he has met personnel from the county’s seven fire stations, “you wouldn’t meet a more committed group of lads and lassies”. He added, “It’s a family life that suffers too, each and every one of them are on call, whether it is a wedding, christening, when that beeper goes off they respond”.
Government must carry out the recommendations made in the national review, Cllr Liam Grant (GP) insisted. A retained firefighter in Ennistymon, he admitted he had “real concerns of what could happen”. He said, “go back to Stardust, it changed fire regulations because a disaster happened, I’m worried it is going to take another disaster for change to happen. Shannon is a big concern, a big disaster could happen, it’s not just for firefighters but for public safety”.
It is too easy to underestimate the work of the fire service, Cllr Ian Lynch (IND) maintained. “These people are the first people on the scene to try make sure everything is okay, what they go through is pretty horrific, the dedication”. The Kilrush representative predicted the strike would get “more intense” over the coming weeks.
Retained firefighters can no longer give their commitment to the service, Cllr Donna McGettigan (SF) warned. “One wife of a firefighter said she feels like a single mother as he cannot attend outings outside of the distance, no one wants to leave the fire service but their commitment is no longer sustainable”. “We shouldn’t be at this stage where people contribute an invaluable service are put to the pin of their collar like this, to me it is embarrassing, it shows a disconnect somewhere,” Cllr Joe Garrihy (FG) remarked.
“I was in the car at the weekend and the Cinderella song from the 1980s came on, ‘Don’t Know What You Got (Till It’s Gone)’, it applies to our persons in the fire service,” Cllr Shane Talty (FF) remarked. Current treatment of firefighters cannot be let to continue, Cllr Pat O’Gorman (FF) said, “Firefighters, school teachers, nurses and doctors they all do the job because they love it”.
This dispute is centred around a monetary issue, Cllr Tom O’Callaghan (FF) remarked. “These individuals are effectively risking their lives, we don’t know when or where they will be needed”.
Support was also voiced by Cllr Johnny Flynn (FG), Cllr PJ Ryan (IND), Cllr Michael Begley (IND), Cllr Gerry Flynn (IND), Cllr Pat Hayes (FF) and Cllr Clare Colleran Molloy (FF) who said, “wouldn’t it be terribly sad to think it would be a disaster that prompted Government to wake up”.
Addressing the meeting, Council Chief Executive Pat Dowling said he concurred with the sentiments on the role and function of retained firefighters in Clare and labelled them as “some of our finest”. He said the LGMA was involved in discussions at a national level and that he was hopeful of an “early resolution”.
