Fire brigade rejects union claim service to be cut back

FIRE ENGINES in Dublin could be taken out of service as a result of new cutbacks, the trade union Siptu has claimed.

It said that, at a recent briefing, a senior manager at Dublin Fire Brigade outlined the option of taking fire appliances out of circulation to allow the service to live within its budget.

However, Dublin Fire Brigade management has denied that there are any such plans at present. It said there was no threat to the level of service provided.

However, it said it was discussing measures with staff to ensure it operated within allocated budgets.

Siptu sector organiser Owen Reidy said any changes to the configuration of fire stations, staff and fire appliances should only be carried out after a comprehensive risk analysis and that this had not been carried out.