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23 Oct 2025
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23 Oct 2025
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Firefighters protesting outside Portlaoise Fire Station
Firefighters across Laois look set to return to the picket lines as SIPTU backs rejecting a Labour Court recommendation.
Retained firefighters had taken to the picket lines across the county in recent weeks due to concerns over staffing, pay and conditions last month.
However, they halted the action which was due to escalate to an all-out strike and agreed to talks in the Labour Court.
Those talks concluded with recommendations which included pay increases of at least 24% and the hiring of additional staff.
However, SIPTU, which represents retained firefighters across Ireland, expressed major disappointment at the terms of a Labour Court recommendation in relation to their dispute following a meeting on Tuesday.
“Our members in the retained fire service believe the content of the Labour Court recommendation in relation to the many issues in the service is a major disappointment,” said SIPTU Public Administration and Community Division Organiser, Karan O Loughlin.
“While there are some small adjustments made to the previous position of the employers, there was just not enough political will to inject the resources necessary to resolve the current impasse and create the environment for re-engagement on the broader issues in this dispute. While the headline figures that describe the percentage rises in relation to pay look meaningful, in fact they are large percentages of a small annual retainer,” said Ms O’Loughlin.
“There is nothing in the recommendation to deal with the precarious nature of the firefighters’ earnings with the retainer, drill and training still the only guaranteed pay. SIPTU retained firefighters will ballot on this document in the coming days, with a recommendation for its rejection from their National Committee. Accordingly, we anticipate that the document will be overwhelmingly rejected and that there will be a return to strike action,” she said.
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