Firefighter and Workers’ Party representative in Palmerstown-Fonthill David Gardiner has come out in support of calls made by Dublin Fire Brigade SIPTU Section Committee, of which he is a member, on Dublin City Council to implement agreements entered into with regards to manning levels.

Gardiner said: “The Section Committee has called on SIPTU members in the fire brigade to refrain from taking overtime in order to highlight the shortage of personnel currently employed with the DFB.” 

He continued: “Management have been promising since 2018 to advertise for a panel of potential recruits, but continue to kick the can down the road. Recently, a Twitter account has documented fire appliances working while short-staffed, and even more alarmingly, some have been completely off the run, leaving Dublin without adequate fire cover.”

“This puts the safety and lives of both the general public and firefighters ourselves at risk. The union will, if necessary, ballot members on the possibility of industrial action if Dublin City Council does not work to ensure the safety of citizens and firefighters with adequate staffing-levels.” Gardiner concluded.