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THE IRISH FIRE and Emergency Services Association has warned that improvements made since the Stardust tragedy could be negated by further cuts and lessening resources.
On the 31st anniversary of the nightclub fire which killed 48 people and injured another 214 in Dublin, the IFESA said the fire services in Ireland are yet to reach their full potential and lives are at risk as a result.
It claims that three Government reports commissioned about the fire service over the past 40 years highlight improvements that are needed but that have never been implemented. The association said its warnings have been ignored but that reforms must begin immediately.
Throughout the Dublin Fire Brigade alone, there are 250 positions vacant that cannot be filled because of financial shortfalls. The Stardust Tribunal also recommended an increase in the number of fire prevention officers but there are still fewer than advised. In Dublin, there are only four such positions filled to cover a population of 1.5 million.
There is a systematic failure in the processes that are in place – from fire prevention to the provision of fire cover,” said the IFSEA. “These deficiencies will cost the lives of citizens of this country and also to firefighters that are duty bound to protect them.”
The current system was put into place when Ireland was a very different country – largely agricultural with relatively small numbers living in towns and cities. The group said the problems at Priory Hall have highlighted the issue but added this this is just the “tip of the iceberg”.
We need to end a situation where the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, have all of the power without any of the responsibility. They can effectively walk away from any disaster and lay the blame at the doors of the Local Authority.
The IFESA also took the opportunity to express its sympathy to the bereaved families of the Stardust victims.
Unfortunately 31 years on, the community of North Dublin are still suffering and hurting from this tragedy and the Irish Fire Service has yet to reach its full potential.Firefighters remember Stardust and pray we will learn and never let it happen again.”
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Seems the only people we can trust in this country anymore to hold important jobs are foreigners. We should also hire one for the je HSE top job…..
@Humphrey Harold Haddington: I wouldn’t call it trust, but rather no Irish baggage, political or otherwise.
@Humphrey Harold Haddington: I would say this is more of a smoke screen. Strange there wasn’t one person in this entire country capable of the job. Or do some here think we Irish are just completely dishonest and untrustworthy.?
Joe Schmidt worked out pretty well.
Nothing wrong with another Kiwi running things here!
The only way to restoring trust is to employ an outsider ..perhaps we could get a few TD’S from abroad ALSO
Could we get a couple of hundred to run for Dail Eireann!!
Delighted to see its gone to a foreigner and not one of the lads mates! The fact it went to a Kiki is even better, recently when some bottom feeders went on a crime and anti social behaviour spree over there, the Mayor of Auckland called them The Mayor of described them as “a**holes” and “trash” Imagine what they would be called here, victims, “failed by society” etc, Joe Duffy and Miriam O’Callaghan would be fighting over who could interview them first, so they could regale us tax paying morons, with tales of the the awfully harsh (LOL) worldclass Irish welfare state here. Irish politicians make me sick, nobody responsible for everything, everyone is a victim etc! Pathetic! https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/ahole-brit-tourists-kicked-out-13857689
@Shane Murphy: I was going to say I’m surprised that you’re happy it’s going to a foreigner given your right wing views elsewhere but then quickly realised that you’re using this article as an excuse to rant about other stuff that gets underneath your pr1ckly skin.
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: That other stuff gets under a lot of people’s skin.
@Leadóg: indeed it does but the lad’s entire focus is irrelevant to the topic. Just that it happened in nz. Lord of the rings was filmed there but I’m not gona go waffling on about it as its irrelevant.
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: are you aware of what bertie and co’s mate ,sorry regulator was responsible for during the boom ? New Zealand is far enough away , that even sleveemism probably hadn’t reached there. Hopefully varadkar does us all a favor and takes a long hike and casts himself into the fires of mount doom!
@Shane Murphy: you’re going off on a tangent again but yes, I’m well aware. Patrick Nevin sat on his hole and did sweet fa and then rode off into the sunset while we pay his pension.
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: we agree on this !
@Bruce van der Gutschmitzer: Is there no end to your homophilic bile?
@Josh Hanners: I actually had to go and Google homophilic. Turns out it’s a dated term for homosexual but lost its relevance after the 60s civil rights movements. You stuck in dark ages too buddy?
Sad day when we have to look to foreign countries to find an honest man!
@Josh Hanners: the sad day was years ago when we realized our lot couldn’t organize mass in the Vatican
@Mushy Peas: let alone an economy and state
@Josh Hanners: we need fine, honest, God fearing folk like yourself to run things Josh, mo chara.
Im delighted…
That none of civil service (RWatt etc) and Sharon….as they refused to answer questions posed by our elected officials..
Im not a FG head but well done Paschal.
If he shelves banker pay report ill vote FG
When debt is seen as a commodity then people will rise up but it will take a disaster to make that happen. Those in the financial trade learn nothing about consequences, only about going after short term profits at any cost. That is why crashes will keep on happening as well as how the ECB treats Central banks in Europe because the EURO isn’t their currency but is the ECB’s currency instead, no one has coped onto that yet?
have your say