Retained firefighters are due to take industrial action next month. The Government has been accused of failing to address a worsening recruitment and retention crises in the service. The action will commence on 6 June and will see members engaging in a campaign of non-co-operation with work outside of responding to emergency calls. Retained firefights who make up the vast majority of personnel in this service, outside of the larger urban areas, are part-time workers who must abide by strict conditions including having to reside within a short distance of stations or take up employment within a short radius to be available for call-outs. A significant portion of their pay is based on the number and duration of call-outs in which they participate. Will the Taoiseach assure the House that definitive and positive actions will be taken to ensure this industrial action does not go ahead for all our sakes?

This matter was also raised yesterday, and I gave a commitment in respect of it. The Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, is taking an interest in it. We all accept that retained firefighters do phenomenal work across the country. We want to ensure that a resolution is found. I will raise the matter again with the Minister, Deputy Darragh O’Brien, in order to try to find a resolution. This is something we are very aware of.