Safety fears over delay in hiring new recruits for Dublin Fire Brigade
Concerns have been raised over understaffing at Dublin Fire Brigade
DUBLINERS face serious safety concerns due to a major delay in hiring firefighters, it has been claimed.
A total of 73 have been recruited this year, according to Dublin City Council. But Siptu officials say an agreement means two full classes of 45 – a total of 90 – should have been trained to address understaffing issues.
Union and political sources said fire trucks have been taken off the road because of understaffing.
Dublin City Council tendered for a contractor to manage the hiring process and is planning to launch a recruitment campaign later this month.
A spokesperson said 73 recruits will “pass out into operations” by the end of next week, and it is expected that two recruit classes will commence training next year.
“A campaign of recruitment will begin at the end of this month,” he said. One recruit class is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of next year, with a second to begin later in 2023.
“Dublin Fire Brigade management endeavoured to fill two full classes of recruits in 2022. However, due to reasons outside of our control, a number of applicants did not proceed with the appointment or did not meet the necessary criteria to commence training.
“We proceeded to train the maximum number of recruits available to us on both occasions,” he added.
Siptu industrial organiser Geoff McEvoy said it takes four months to train a firefighter-paramedic.
“What was agreed and intended this year was two full classes of 45 recruits,” he said. “We welcome the news that a new recruitment competition will start at the end of this month, but the fact is, this has come after a protracted delay.
“It remains an urgent priority for our members because every day there is a crewing shortage in Dublin Fire Brigade, is a day where firefighters and the public are exposed to an unacceptable level of risk,” he added.
Dublin Fire Brigade recruits have fallen short of the agreed amount this year
Labour senator and spokesperson for Employment Affairs, Marie Sherlock, said on average, there are three to four fire engines that cannot be deployed every day in Dublin, out of a fleet of 21.
“Ultimately, the delay takes place in the context of serious understaffing in Dublin Fire Brigade for a number of years and concerns about the safety of firefighters and the city,” she said.
“There is a very strong view among firefighters and their representatives that there is no way recruits will be selected and ready to commence training at the start of 2023. The turnaround is simply too tight.
“This has serious safety implications for firefighters themselves and for all those living in the city.
“We are exceptionally fortunate that no large scale incidents have happened in the city since the Ballymun Metrolink hotel fire in 2018.”
She said the firefighters and paramedics have not received the government’s promised €1,000 pandemic bonus yet and this “simply rubs salt in the wounds”.
