Cork County Council reviewing how to recruit more part-time firefighters

Poor pay and conditions leading to understaffing, councillors told

The major gorse fire in Schull last month: 'The facts are part-time fire service positions offer unattractive rewards for the risks and the sacrifices made by firefighters on call.'

Cork County Council is engaged in a review of how it is going to recruit part-time firefighters, amid concerns poor pay is leading to understaffing in several areas.

All councillors supported a motion from Fine Gael councillor Caroline Cronin, who said the lack of firefighters in rural areas was on the verge of becoming an emergency.