Fórsa has won agreement on a Dublin fire brigade (DFB) recruitment drive after the union flagged dangerously low staff numbers over the recent holiday period.

Earlier this week, the union received confirmation that Dublin City Council and the fire brigade had conceded that the current staffing level of 965 did not meet current or future resource and service delivery requirements.

As a result, two fast-tracked recruit training courses are now to take place in February and June.

While the parties were in agreement that staffing levels need to be increased, management said they should be partially addressed through previously-negotiated terms that state “the parties will commence with the redeployments in relation to specials, having due regard to the relevant requirements such as risk assessments, health and safety and the operational intelligence unit.”

It also set out a review period of six months where the parties will continue to engage in the review on the optimum staffing for DFB, including the redeployment efficiencies.

The head of Fórsa’s Municipal Employees’ Division, Dessie Robinson, said the union’s detailed engagement with the employer helped bring about this breakthrough.

“We have consistently pushed to increase and maintain staffing levels, and improve working conditions to enhance recruitment into the service so this decision is very welcome.

“This vital service was already under considerable pressure due to low staff numbers, and the strain on it was only exasperated by the pandemic when the staff that was already under pressure had to deal with rapidly decreasing numbers.

“A large number Covid-related absences coupled with significant number of staff due to retire this year meant urgent action had to be taken to ensure the smooth continuation of this essential service, and the union is delighted that two recruitment drives are already planned this year,” he said.

Dessie added that more than 200 staff members were absent in recent weeks, either because they tested positive or because they had to self-isolate due to being a close contact.

“This took place over the holiday period as well when the service expects increasing call-outs and incidents,” he said.

The union also particularly welcomed this boost in recruitment in light of previously stated concerns that numbers would have been seriously reduced this year on foot of promotion of firefighters to officer rank.

Dessie also acknowledged the incredible amount of responsibilities staff present at Dublin fire brigade had to undertake in this period, and said they “well and truly deserved” some respite from the additional responsibilities, lessened by the support the extra backing of new recruits will provide.

The union also secured commitment that the employer will ‘immediately engage’ with the Public Appointments Service (PAS) regarding advertising for a new panel as soon as possible, with a view to selecting recruit classes from this panel as required, to meet the needs of the service.

Last October, firefighters staged a protest outside the Mansion House amid claims of crews suffering from exhaustion due to staff shortages.

Meanwhile, 35 new recruits have already been assigned to fire stations across Dublin earlier this month, with a further 45 due to commence training next month.

Chief fire officer Dennis Keeley also told a Dublin City Council meeting earlier last month that almost one fifth of Dublin fire brigade frontline workers were unavailable for work over the New Year due to Covid-19. He warned staff absences remained at a level that would “impact on service delivery.” 

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