Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 16 December 2025
603. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage following a failure to reach an agreement in the WRC, if his Department will go to the Labour Court to resolve a dispute with trade unions representing workers in the Dublin Fire Brigade, in line with the relevant codes of practice for industrial relations disputes involving essential services. [72228/25]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 & 2003. 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 service issues are managed in my Department by the National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management (NDFEM).
I understand that DFB management and the staff side representatives remain in an industrial relations process under the auspices of the WRC. Engagement with staff side associations and internal communications are a matter for Dublin City Council as the employer of DFB personnel. I would encourage both sides to engage constructively with that process with a view to ensuring a satisfactory conclusion for all stakeholders.
