Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 6 July 2011
107 Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Social Protection the safeguards in place to ensure that retained firefighters are not discriminated against due to their need to be in employment that is in close proximity to the fire station they are based in and her views that a failure to ensure such safeguards are in place will lead to a serious diminution in the quality and the availability of retained fire fighters. [19071/11]
View answerIssues relating to the Irish Fire Services are a matter for the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in the first instance. Part-time fire-fighters are entitled to the full range of social welfare benefits and allowances once they satisfy the statutory conditions of the scheme concerned. e.g. age, means, PRSI contributions, etc. Part-time fire-fighters are entitled to a jobseeker's payment in respect of days on which they are engaged in fire-fighting or training. They are, however, required to satisfy the statutory conditions for the receipt of a jobseeker's payment of being available for and genuinely seeking work.
