Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 25 June 2026
319. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the engagement there has been between his Department and other Government departments recently in relation to the request for firefighters to be able to work past the age of 62 years, subject to medicals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40452/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder Section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authority for which they are responsible. 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 Services Act, 1981 & 2003. As Minister, through the National Directorate for Fire and Emergency Management (NDFEM), I support 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.
In 2024, the Courts, Civil Law, Criminal Law and Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2024 was enacted. This Act amended, among other matters, the law in relation to the age at which certain public servants are required to retire. Part 11 of the Act provided the then Minister for Public Expenditure National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (M/PENDR), to make orders, enabling line ministers – Justice, Defence, and Housing – to make regulations regarding the retirement age of uniformed services. Indeed, my predecessor made these regulations in August 2024, with the consent of then M/PENDR, raising the mandatory retirement age to 62. I understand that this is in line with the position in operation for uniformed services more generally.
Given this was addressed less than two years ago, in consultation with fire service staff representative organisations, there are no plans to revisit this matter presently.
