Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 July 2022
649. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount of the budget allocation given from his Department to local authorities for the running of the retained fire service that was paid in salaries to members of the retained fire service in each of the years 2021 and 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40130/22]
View answerThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding support for equipment and priority infrastructural projects.
Fire services are provided in Ireland by local authorities in accordance with the provisions of the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003. Under this legislation, there are 31 fire authorities which provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures. Local authority fire services are delivered by approximately 3,300 professional, competent and highly committed personnel engaged at 217 fire stations nationwide, 197 of those stations are staffed by Retained firefighters.
The prioritisation of work and effective management of all resources is, in the first instance, a matter for Management in each of the fire services, based on their assessment of local needs and requirements.
In relation to the staffing requirements in each local authority, under the Local Government Act, 2001 it is the responsibility of each Chief Executive to employ such staff and to make such funding, staffing, recruitment and organisational arrangements as may be deemed necessary for the purposes of carrying out the functions of their local authority.
Detailed data on the proportion of local authority budgets that are paid in salaries to members of the retained fire service is not collected by, and consequently is not available in, my Department. The relevant information may be available directly from individual local authorities.
