Cabinet to discuss firefighters' pay and online disinformation

A report detailed that firefighters felt the amount of pay in relation to the overall commitment needed was not aligned. Picture: Evan Doak

Ministers are due to discuss pay and conditions for retained firefighters when the Cabinet meets this morning.

The issue of retained services was highlighted in the aftermath of the deaths of 10 people in a gas explosion in Donegal in October and a report on the area makes a number of recommendations around pay and retention of these firefighters.

Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien will ask the Government to note the report published in December on the future of retained firefighters.

It said that the "most significant feedback in this review from the firefighter perspective was the overall remuneration model" and that firefighters felt the amount of pay in relation to the overall commitment needed was not aligned.

Mr O'Brien will also ask the Government to note the positive decision of the EU on the Croí Cónaithe Apartment Supply Scheme.

The €450m plan, which offers developers up to €144,000 per unit for finishing out apartments in cities, received State aid approval two weeks ago. 

It is expected that the Housing Agency will conclude its first set of development agreements with homebuilders.

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Separately Arts Minister Catherine Martin has welcomed the establishment of a multi-stakeholder working group which has been asked to come up with ways to combat disinformation and tackle the spread of harmful and false material online.

The group will be chaired by Martina Chapman, National Coordinator of Media Literacy Ireland and an independent media literacy consultant.

Arts Minister Catherine Martin welcomes the establishment of The Working Group. Picture: PA

Ms Martin said: "We know that disinformation is complex and damaging. This means that no one approach can solve it. 

"That’s why this working group has been established — to bring together key stakeholders across Government, industry, academia, and civil society to develop an overarching strategy to promote a joined-up approach that aims to reduce the creation and spread of false and harmful material.

The Working Group will look to review existing media literacy initiatives, identify tools and mechanisms to address disinformation and identify ways to better coordinate national efforts to counter organised campaigns of manipulation of internet users in Ireland.

The group will meet for the first time later this week and it is expected that the final strategy will be published by the end of this year.