Donegal firefighters start a week-long strike today

Donegal Firefighters Association has outlined what has prompted them to take industrial action that will see fire stations closing in a dispute concerning a staff crisis that threatens this vital community resource. 

They claim they have been left with no option but to commence it as the very future of the service is in doubt if the current crisis in the recruitment and retention of firefighters is not resolved

The secretary of the association, Michael Purtill, has outlined why locally they felt they had to join today's industrial action.

"At 12am last night, firefighters from across the country turned off their pagers and prepared themselves for days and maybe even weeks of industrial action.

"In Donegal, five fire stations have silenced their pagers for 24 hours of strike action. Letterkenny, Donegal Town, Killybegs, Dungloe and Buncrana, will all be attending the council offices in Lifford from 9am-1pm, and then the HQ of the Donegal Fire Service, in High Road, Letterkenny from 1pm-5pm, to peacefully picket.

"Not one firefighter in the country wants to be here today. All stakeholders involved with emergency management in Ireland have stated that the retained fire service is not fit for purpose, and changes need to be made. These changes that have been promised by Government, failed to materialise during negotiations as it seems that there is no real will to change.

"We work 24/7, for 48 weeks of the year, live and work - if you are lucky to have a job - within 2.5 km's radius of your station. You need permission to leave that area, to have a night off, to look after your kids, which is a constant worry if left on your own. The small amount of money a new recruit gets isn't even enough to pay the rent on a house for the year. The retained model as it stands is at the end, we ask Government to come to the table with the will to bring this service into the 21st century."

Mr Purtill added their members humbly ask for public support.