Fire Service

587. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if consideration has been given to extending the mandatory retirement age to 62 to members of the retained fire service; if he can provide details of any analysis or costings that have been carried out on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28649/26]

1671. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to provide details of the external validation group for the fire service; the current membership of the group; when the group was established; when each member was appointed to the group; the maximum duration of time allowed for members to sit; who is responsible for appointing members to the group; and if he wil…

1675. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage his views on whether section 28(a) of the Fire Services Act 1981, offers sufficient cover for homeowners in instances where it is deemed the fire brigade acted negligently in causing damage to property in the course of their duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24400/26]

1676. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the position regarding any review of section 28(a) of the Fire Services Act 1981, that would create greater protection for people who have experienced damage to personal property due to the actions of the fire brigade in the course of carrying out their duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2440…

1764. Deputy Louis O'Hara asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether the NDFEM has conducted any specific review of fire service preparedness in County Galway following the Xerotech fire in Claregalway in January 2025, given the concentration of BESS planning applications in that county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25928/26]

1771. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the reason firefighters who continue to pass annual medical and fitness assessments are required to retire at 62 years-of-age rather than being allowed to continue working to 66 years in line with the State pension age; whether his Department has examined the feasibility of linking retirement to fitness and med…

1772. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given current recruitment and retention challenges within fire services, whether any analysis has been undertaken by his Department of the cost, pension, and staffing implications of retaining experienced firefighters beyond the age of 62; and whether flexibility may be considered for firefighters who continue …

1773. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether his Department has been consulted regarding the replacement of firefighters due to retire in County Mayo in 2026; and the supports, approvals or funding mechanisms that are available to local authorities to ensure continuity of service where multiple experienced personnel retire within a short timeframe…

1774. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage given that full-time and retained firefighters are required to undergo and pass annual occupational health and fitness assessments, the reason for the policy rationale for mandatory retirement at 62 years-of-age; the reason firefighters who continue to meet the required medical and fitness standards are not per…

1775. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage whether he has considered or has proposals under way to increase the mandatory retirement age for full-time and retained firefighters from 62 to 66 years-of-age, in line with the State pension age; the engagement, if any, he has had with local authorities and representative bodies on this issue; and if he will …

1776. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of full-time firefighters and retained (reserve) firefighters in County Mayo who are due to retire in 2026 and 2027, by station where possible; the projected impact this will have on fire service capacity and emergency response in the county; and the contingency or workforce-planning measures current…

1777. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the assessment that has been carried out by his Department or by Mayo County Council on the operational impact of the retirement of three experienced firefighters in Claremorris in 2026, with a combined service record in excess of 100 years; and the way in which institutional knowledge, mentoring capacity and o…

1032. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if Clara fire station, County Offaly will be included in the new priority fire service infrastructural projects 2026-2030, given the inadequacy of the existing very old building which is not fit for purpose; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19067/26]

185. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to confirm the mandatory retirement age currently applied to members of the retained fire service, including the requirement for personnel to retire before reaching sixty-two years of age. [17810/26]

186. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to detail the medical fitness requirements for retained firefighters, including bi-annual medical examinations after forty years of age and annual medical examinations after fifty years of age; and to confirm that these requirements remain in place. [17814/26]

187. Deputy Paul Lawless asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will engage with unions (details supplied) which are actively campaigning for reforms to the retirement age and conditions for retained firefighters; and outline any planned or ongoing consultations. [17817/26]

393. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the planned new fire station for Bagenalstown, County Carlow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15946/26]

394. Deputy Peter 'Chap' Cleere asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage for an update on the planned new fire station for Kilkenny city; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15950/26]

691. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of retained firefighters by each local authority area for each of the years 2021 to 2025 inclusive. [15107/26]

405. Deputy Joanna Byrne asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount which has been paid to each local authority to meet the requirements of the firefighter pay deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11136/26]

661. Deputy Conor D. McGuinness asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage when his Department will announce a new Fire Service Capital Programme for the period 2026 to 2030; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8017/26]

673. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the steps his Department is taking to address concerns related to the roll out of the new computer aided dispatch system to Dublin Fire Brigade; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6468/26]

1413. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if a risk assessment was carried out regarding the potential impact on public safety regarding the implementation of the NMACS system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [75049/25]

601. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of funding requests his Department has received from Mayo County Council seeking funding approval to purchase additional fire appliances and or specialist equipment for Mayo Fire Services in 2024 and to-date in 2025; of the funding requests, the number that were approved in each of the years in q…

154. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage further to Parliamentary Question No 263 of 6 November 2025, his views on the concerns raised by Dublin Fire Brigade regarding the creation of two different CAD systems, one for fire and rescue calls, the other for ambulance calls, which poses a serious threat to the resilience currently present and threatens pub…