Kerry part-time firefighter not working when on standby for callouts, court finds

Retained firefighter with Ballybunion Fire Station challenged Labour Court finding that time spent on standby was not 'working time'

Retained firefighter brought a Labour Court claim in which he submitted he was on call 168 hours a week, 52 weeks of the year, and had to turn up at the station within 10 minutes of a callout. File picture: Larry Cummins

A Labour Court finding that a part-time Kerry fireman cannot be considered to be working when he is on standby for callouts for a fire or other alert has been upheld by the High Court.

David Walsh, a retained firefighter since 2008 with Ballybunion Fire Station and who also runs a B&B in Ballybunion with his partner, had brought a Labour Court claim in which he submitted he was on call 168 hours a week, 52 weeks of the year, and had to turn up at the station within 10 minutes of a callout.