By Chris Ashmore
FEARS that there could be a possible downgrading of the fire services in Letterkenny have been eased – at least in the short term.
Members of Donegal County Council heard this week that a review of the workings of the fire service in Letterkenny is currently underway and is due to be completed by mid-July.
In recent months, a number of local councillors have expressed concerns about possible changes at Letterkenny Fire Station, including some speculation in relation to the number of fire-related appliances based there.
Indeed, the Cathaoirleach of Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District Council, Cllr. Gerry McMonagle tabled a motion at Monday’s council meeting calling for no changes to the “operational capacity” of the service, “until comprehensive Business Case and Risk Assessments are carried out in relation to Letterkenny Fire Station and its capacity to deal with any eventuality that may arise in the town of Letterkenny and surrounding district serviced by Letterkenny Fire Station.”
He also requested that firefighters and their representatives be included in “all future decisions and discussions that impact on their working conditions and operational effectiveness.”
During a debate on the matter, Cllr. McMonagle spoke about the importance of a “work-life balance” for fire service personnel.
He also noted that Letterkenny has grown considerably over recent years and felt that there is a need for further recruitment to ensure that there are enough firefighters in the town.
Stating that there “seems to be a lack of communication”, he stressed the need “to listen and to work with” members of the fire service.
Cllr. Declan Meehan said “this is an important piece of work that should have been done before this” and pointed out that this was all about safety for people in Letterkenny and the surrounding areas.
He felt that any suggestions of reducing the service in a town that has doubled in size in population “seems illogical” and he was of the opinion that there needs to be “a conversation around the table.”
Replying to the issues raised, Garry Martin, Director of Economic Development, Information Systems & Emergency Services at Donegal County Council, stated that the fire service is run on a countywide basis and he stressed that it “is fit for purpose and meets demand” and is well resourced having seen an increase in its budget from €9 million to €12 million over the past two years.
He confirmed that there is a recruitment process underway at present and there is an “on-going conversation” with staff.
Furthermore, in response to Cllr. McMonagle, and also a question from Cllr. Ciaran Brogan about a commitment that no service be downgraded while a study is being carried out, Mr Martin confirmed that “the Fire Service recently took delivery of a second water tanker and the proposed relocation of the Letterkenny based water tanker to a location where it best meets the operational needs of the county as a whole will be deferred pending the completion of the Business Case.”
In addition, he confirmed that the Incident Command Unit will remain in-situ, and stressed that it was never intended to remove the second Class B fire appliance from Letterkenny and that appliance will remain in its current location.
He also stated that fire service personnel were offered the option of reverting to the pre-Working Relations Commission crewing model, and a response to the offer is awaited.
A workshop to discuss the findings of the Business Case study is expected to take place in July.
Related posts:
Receive quality journalism wherever you are, on any device. Keep up to date from the comfort of your own home with a digital subscription.
Any time | Any place | Anywhere
SUBSCRIBE TO CURRENT EDITION TODAY
and get access to our archive editions dating back to 2007(CLICK ON THE TITLE BELOW TO SUBSCRIBE)