Dublin Fire service recruitment? Anyone know??

thatboy1 · 04-09-2015 2:11pm

on rte website;
"Firefighters and management at the Dublin Fire Brigade have agreed to attend talks at the Labour Relations Commission in a bid to avert industrial action in a row over recruitment.

Dublin firefighters belonging to SIPTU voted 96% in favour of industrial action last week, with 87% prepared to back full strike action.

The dispute centres on how vacancies are to be filled in the brigade, which employs 800 full-time firefighters.

There are currently 80 vacancies but that is expected to rise to 100 by the end of the year.

SIPTU had urged the council to hold an immediate open competition as it believed that an internal competition would not be able to secure sufficient recruits.

The union argues that without immediate recruitment, there could be health and safety risks, including some fire appliances unable to be deployed due to understaffing.

It is understood that last May, unions and Dublin City Council agreed to fill the vacancies by open competition.

However, the Council has since proceeded with a confined or internal competition.

SIPTU's Disputes Committee was due to decide at the end of the week whether to take industrial action.

Dublin City Council confirmed this afternoon that it had sought the assistance of the LRC and both sides have confirmed that they will attend talks expected to get underway within the next fortnight."

In the news today. I'm presuming if DCC can prove they can get numbers together internally it wont go public?

Arruabarrena · 07-09-2015 11:52pm

It's full steam ahead with organising aptitude tests anyway

thatboy1 · 08-09-2015 7:25am

what number applied internally in the end?

Arruabarrena · 10-09-2015 11:07pm

Numbers are down as expected.

Paulzx · 10-09-2015 11:54pm

Arruabarrena wrote: »

Numbers are down as expected.

Not a big surprise.

Paulzx · 11-09-2015 4:16pm

The word that's filtering down is that management say that the Public appointments crowd are not in a position to run the competition at the moment. Of course if DCC management had taken their thumbs out of their asses a couple of years ago everything would be in place.

I've heard through the grapevine that they are prepared to advertise externally in Jan 2016. However, there is nothing to stop Mr. Keegan sticking his oar in again and continue with his preferred option of no recruitment and down manning DFB as a matter of policy.

Unfortunately we're not only up against budgetry policies but an ideological bias towards destroying publicly operated services and then outsourcing. Enter the building Owen Keegan!!!

Arruabarrena · 12-09-2015 11:23am

Dates are set for aptitude tests.

helsbels31 · 12-09-2015 8:10pm

Arruabarrena wrote: »

Dates are set for aptitude tests.

Do you know what those dates are & when people will be sent invitation to attend apptitude testing? Also is this followed by interview in an internal competition?
Sorry for all the questions.

Arruabarrena · 12-09-2015 9:53pm

End of Sept and possibly into first week of October. Presume invitation will go out soon as they like to give 2 weeks notice. Most definitely will be an interview also.

helsbels31 · 13-09-2015 9:25am

Anybody any tips on preparation? What each testing process entails.

Paulzx · 19-09-2015 12:12am

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/firefighters-in-dublin-to-start-industrial-action-next-month-over-safety-concerns-31539567.html

Firefighters in Dublin to start industrial action next month over safety concerns
By Alan O’Keeffe

Published
18/09/2015 | 21:39

SIPTU members in Dublin Fire Brigade have served notice they will begin industrial action on October 5 due to safety concerns over staffing levels.

The union claimed Dublin City Council has failed to maintain agreed minimum “safety critical staffing levels.”

Union sector organizer, Brendan O’Brien, said the firefighters were left with no option but to start industrial action because of a failure to maintain agreed staffing levels critical to providing safe systems of work.

The industrial action will initially take the form of refusing to work “unsustainable levels of voluntary overtime” on selected dates.

Management of the fire service will be informed of these dates in the coming days, said Mr O’Brien.

Union convener for the fire brigade, Gerry Harris, said last night the firefighters were “forced into this regrettable action because of management reneging on an agreement concerning the recruitment of new firefighters which was reached in May 2015.”

“This agreement set out a plan to recruit new firefighters which was in line with a circular from the Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly, that directed management to ensure safety critical posts where maintained at agreed levels,” he said.

SIPTU representatives agreed to attend a number of meetings of the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) in an attempt to find another solution. However, at these meetings the brigade’s management and the City Council failed to present a credible alternative plan,” claimed Mr Harris.

“At present, Dublin Fire Brigade cannot provide a full service to the public without the use of unsustainable levels of overtime and the cancellation of safety critical firefighter training.” Today, due to understaffing, the service in Donnybrook Fire Station was reduced to 50pc cover even though there were 22 firefighters on overtime.

SIPTU members in the brigade voted for industrial action, up to and including strike action in a ballot.

The union claims the fire service is 70 firefighters under strength. This figure is expected to have risen to over 100 by next year meaning the service will be up to 15pc less than the required level of firefighters to meet safety standards, he said.

TallGlass · 24-09-2015 10:56am

I got a reply to my question from the Minister, see below.

Question No. 1368

Chun an Aire Comhshaoil, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil:
To the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government:

To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding recruitment for the Dublin Fire Brigade; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

- Finian McGrath.

For WRITTEN answer on Tuesday, 22nd September, 2015.

Ref No: 30623/15

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Alan Kelly)

My Department works closely with Dublin City Council in relation to the staffing needs of Dublin Fire Brigade. My Department recently approved requests from Dublin City Council, to hold both an open and a confined competition to fill firefighter vacancies that arise in Dublin Fire Brigade.

It is my understanding that details of the open competition, which will be organised through the Public Appointments Service, will be announced shortly.

Dáil Éireann
Leinster House
Kildare Street, Dublin 2
Tel: 618 3031/3942
Fax: 618 4993
www.finianmcgrath.ie

Squirrelsnuts · 03-10-2015 10:08am

I see industrial action was lifted last night. Does this mean open recruitment will be going ahead??

Paulzx · 03-10-2015 1:36pm

Agreement has been reached. I have yet to see the full details but external recruitment is part of it and there is to be no drop in numbers from the existing establishment.

I think the plan is to start a class in January made up of people from the latest internal recruitment and the first 10 ESC's ( who have not been shafted contrary to some peoples opinions)

An internal advertisment for recruit instructors for 2016 has been circulated in order to get officers to train the planned classes.

Promotion panels for Station Officer and Sub Officer are also in the pipeline to go along with the already advertised District Officer positions. This will obviously have the consequential knock on effect of creating more Firefighter vacancies

Squirrelsnuts · 07-10-2015 7:38am

Paulzx wrote: »

Agreement has been reached. I have yet to see the full details but external recruitment is part of it and there is to be no drop in numbers from the existing establishment.

I think the plan is to start a class in January made up of people from the latest internal recruitment and the first 10 ESC's ( who have not been shafted contrary to some peoples opinions)

An internal advertisment for recruit instructors for 2016 has been circulated in order to get officers to train the planned classes.

Promotion panels for Station Officer and Sub Officer are also in the pipeline to go along with the already advertised District Officer positions. This will obviously have dthe consequential knock on effect of creating more Firefighter vacancies

Rumour they'll be recruiting this month, have you heard the same Paul?

Arruabarrena · 08-10-2015 12:24am

I believe it's now 9 ESCOs plus remaining FFs from previous panel making next FF class.

thatboy1 · 08-10-2015 10:20am

Will that be a small class then? What about the current internal competition?

Arruabarrena · 08-10-2015 10:59am

Aptitude tests finish today. Interviews in November. Could they feasibly start in Jan? Possibly

thatboy1 · 08-10-2015 11:10am

Many sit the tests?

Arruabarrena · 08-10-2015 1:08pm

Looking at a mid-November closing date for external recruitment campaign.

Paulzx · 08-10-2015 3:54pm

thatboy1 wrote: »

Many sit the tests?

Just over 100 applied for the internal comp

reddington · 08-10-2015 8:30pm

What do you mean by this ???
Looking at a mid-November closing date for external recruitment campaign.is it going external in November ?

Arruabarrena · 09-10-2015 9:00pm

Should be advertised before the month is out.

reddington · 09-10-2015 9:11pm

Is it going through public jobs

Arruabarrena · 09-10-2015 9:11pm

Yes

ADO · 10-10-2015 10:17am

Any idea if this external campaign will be a croke park job or will it be an online one?

Fire1985 · 10-10-2015 4:35pm

ADO wrote: »

Any idea if this external campaign will be a croke park job or will it be an online one?

More than likely Croke park

11-10-2015 1:28pm

Surely if PAS are running it it will be online then repeat in their offices, same as the recent Garda recruitment which would probably have been bigger in terms of numbers

dempseydav · 12-10-2015 12:06am

Hi...are current jobs available going to be filled externally ??? How many position to be filled?

dceire · 12-10-2015 1:14am

I was hoping to apply as an external applicant and am wondering, if successful, when the training is likely to commence and if they will be recruiting again at any stage in 2016? I only ask as I had ACL surgery last month and am worried that I will not be physically fit enough early next year.

Also, I heard that Kildare fire service are also supposed to be recruiting. Any info on this?

Fire1985 · 12-10-2015 10:43am

dceire wrote: »

I was hoping to apply as an external applicant and am wondering, if successful, when the training is likely to commence and if they will be recruiting again at any stage in 2016? I only ask as I had ACL surgery last month and am worried that I will not be physically fit enough early next year.

Also, I heard that Kildare fire service are also supposed to be recruiting. Any info on this?

Well the internal class start in January so the earliest the next class will start is next summer.

External recruiting is starting in January I'm told.

Kildare recruited about two months ago and panels have already been made so you're too late for that.

Fire1985 · 12-10-2015 10:44am

dceire wrote: »

I was hoping to apply as an external applicant and am wondering, if successful, when the training is likely to commence and if they will be recruiting again at any stage in 2016? I only ask as I had ACL surgery last month and am worried that I will not be physically fit enough early next year.

Also, I heard that Kildare fire service are also supposed to be recruiting. Any info on this?

Well the internal class start in January so the earliest the next class will start is next summer.

External recruiting is starting in January I'm told.

Kildare recruited about two months ago and panels have already been made so you're too late for that.

Squirrelsnuts · 12-10-2015 7:27pm

Fire1985 wrote: »

Well the internal class start in January so the earliest the next class will start is next summer.

External recruiting is starting in January I'm told.

Kildare recruited about two months ago and panels have already been made so you're too late for that.

I heard external applications will go out this month. We'll have to wait and see.

Arruabarrena · 12-10-2015 8:09pm

It's being advertised next week. ESCO also being advertised externally (I'm told).

Squirrelsnuts · 12-10-2015 9:10pm

Arruabarrena wrote: »

It's being advertised next week. ESCO also being advertised externally (I'm told).

Will the ESCO be like the last time with the idea that you eventually progress to firefighter?

Arruabarrena · 12-10-2015 9:17pm

Not sure actually, I presume so?

reddington · 13-10-2015 10:10am

Any idea what qualifications they are looking for or anything that you must have in order to apply

123kid2014 · 13-10-2015 6:04pm

So lads with DFB recruiting end of October does anyone know how many they need?

Do you need to be an emt or have a D license to apply as I don't have these things.

Paulzx · 13-10-2015 9:08pm

123kid2014 wrote: »

So lads with DFB recruiting end of October does anyone know how many they need?

Do you need to be an emt or have a D license to apply as I don't have these things.

With previous competitions..........no. You do however require a B licence.

123kid2014 · 14-10-2015 6:36pm

Paulzx wrote: »

With previous competitions..........no. You do however require a B licence.

Thanks for that.

Arruabarrena · 14-10-2015 6:38pm

Should be advertised next Thursday (all going well).

123kid2014 · 14-10-2015 6:39pm

Arruabarrena wrote: »

Should be advertised next Thursday (all going well).

I heard that too , was told to register with public jobs and check the papers .

Is it 100 they're advertising?

Arruabarrena · 14-10-2015 11:30pm

Any numbers banded about would be pure guesswork and there'd be nothing to back them up.

123kid2014 · 16-10-2015 5:35pm

reddington wrote: »

Is it still looking good for next Thursday ?

I wouldn't be as specific as next Thursday but I'd imagine in the next two weeks.

I see Dublin airport fire had 2000+ applications. I wonder what DFB will attract. 5000 I'm guessing

Arruabarrena · 16-10-2015 8:53pm

It's Thursday.

Squirrelsnuts · 16-10-2015 11:16pm

123kid2014 wrote: »

I wouldn't be as specific as next Thursday but I'd imagine in the next two weeks.

I see Dublin airport fire had 2000+ applications. I wonder what DFB will attract. 5000 I'm guessing

m
Go again. 10,000

Paulzx · 17-10-2015 3:16pm

External Comp to be advertised during October

Station Officers promotion panel just advertised.

Sub Officers promotion panel to be advertised by Feb 2016.

Internal comp recruit class to start in Jan 2016

External comp first recruit class to start summer 2016. Further recruit classes to start as required.

A mechanism to be put in place to ensure that employee numbers do not fall to the existing low level again. The existing establishment number of 950ish to be maintained.

The above points are all from the Workplace Relations Commission document.

To be honest it's a kick in the stones for the City Manager and for the KCS cheerleaders.

18-10-2015 4:40pm

Anyone know if the call taker positions are also being advertised at the same time or will it be further down the line?

Also is testing format likely to be the same as before eg online followed by shortlist and supervised tests?

Arruabarrena · 18-10-2015 6:37pm

ESCO advertised at same time I believe.

123kid2014 · 19-10-2015 5:07pm

Squirrelsnuts wrote: »

m
Go again. 10,000

10,000

No way, I hope not. That's ridiculous.

Dublin Fire service recruitment? Anyone know??

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