Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
598. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated amount it would cost to pay members of the Retained Fire Service an hourly rate equivalent to the average industrial wage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36201/23]
View answer599. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated amount it would cost to increase the number of station officers to two officers per fire station; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36202/23]
View answer600. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated amount it would cost to increase the crew numbers in a two-pump fire station to 18; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36203/23]
View answer601. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the estimated amount it would cost to increase the crew numbers in a one-pump fire station by three; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36204/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 598 to 601, inclusive, together.
The 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 Service Acts, 1981 and 2003.
My Department supports fire authorities by establishing policy, setting national standards for fire safety and fire service provision, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects and the procurement of essential frontline fire appliances, ancillary vehicles and equipment.
Under the Fire Services Acts, 1981 and 2003, 31 local authorities provide fire prevention and fire protection services for communities through 27 service delivery structures. Local authority fire services are delivered by approximately 3,300 local authority staff engaged at 217 fire stations nationwide, with 16 of these stations staffed by full-time firefighters, a further 4 are mixed full-time and retained, and 197 are staffed by retained firefighters.
Granular data, in terms of staff allocated to specific work areas within local authorities is not collected and consequently is not available in my Department. Some of the data requested will be available from the local authorities; however, estimated average levels of hourly pay depend on grade, length of service, calls answered and time of day and varies from person to person, from station to station and from year to year, so is not standard across the service.
