Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 8 May 2001

Vol. 535 No. 4

Written Answers - Fire Service Staff.

Paul McGrath

Question:

203 Mr. McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if a review is being undertaken in his Department concerning the upper age limits in place for the retention in service of firemen; the timescale for this review to be completed and published; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that there are a number of serving firemen who will reach the present upper age limit within the next few months; and if he will suspend this upper age limit pending the outcome of this review. [12776/01]

Minister for the Environment and Local Government (Mr. Dempsey)

The strategic review of the fire service, which will get under way shortly, will address the issue of difficulty of recruiting and retaining staff for the fire service, principally the retained service. Proposals for the carrying out of this review have been sought and tenders are being evaluated in my Department at present.

The 55 year age limit for retirement of fire fighters was introduced because of health and safety considerations related to the job. Since the enactment of the Health, Safety and Welfare at Work Act, 1989, each fire authority, as an employer, has a statutory duty to avoid placing employees at risk. International research indicates that the retirement age of 55 is the optimum age to ensure that fire fighters are capable of satisfactorily performing the tasks expected of them. The compulsory age of retirement has been set in the light of the strenuous nature of fire fighters duties, the possibilities of persons of a particular age achieving the physical capabilities required and the risks involved in undertaking such work. The final report of the Commission on Public Service Pensions, which was published recently, recom mended that new entrant fire fighters should continue to be subject to a retirement age of 55.

In the light of the foregoing it would be inappropriate to change the current arrangements pending the completion of the strategic review.