0. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Preface 0.1 The purpse f this Executive Summary is t set ut briefly the main findings, cnclusins and recmmendatins in ur reprt n the Strategic Review f Fire Safety and Fire Services in Ireland. It fllws the sequence f the Sectins in the reprt itself. This Review was an extremely thrugh and detailed review, ver a 6 mnth perid, f all aspects f the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime in Ireland. It invlved an extensive prcess f cnsultatin with all stakehlders, including members f the public, as well as benefiting frm inputs frm internatinal experts and frm glbal best practice benchmarking. 0.2 Given the lengthy and very detailed wrk prgramme invlved, including a number f verseas visits, the extensive research undertaken, the large number f submissins received and the sheer vlume f infrmatin and data cllected, the reprt itself is, in fact, nly a summary f the ttal prcess which underpinned the Review. This brief Executive Summary shuld, therefre, ideally nt be read as, nr regarded as, a substitute fr the analysis and argumentatin in the reprt itself. It seeks merely t highlight a small range f the issues addressed in the Review fr purpses f cnvenience. 0.3 As pinted ut, the Review prcess benefited frm extensive cnsultatin with, and inputs frm, a wide spectrum f interests. These included: Members f the public wh made submissins t us r wh attended seven reginal public cnsultatin fra. A large array f interest grups wh made submissins t us and/r wh were interviewed by us. Fire Service persnnel at all levels in a large number f Lcal Authrities. The Review Advisry Grup which versaw the Review prcess and which cmprised fficials f the Department f the Envirnment and Lcal Gvernment, representatives f Lcal Authrity management, Ministerial nminees, representatives f Fire Services management, Fire Service staff at all levels and tw eminent internatinal experts (ne frm the UK and ne frm Hlland). Chief Fire Officers and representatives f ther management grades in the Fire Service. The varius statutry bdies invlved in the delivery f the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime. Unin fficials and representatives f fire-fighting staff in the full-time and retained brigades. Officials f the DELG and Lcal Authrities invlved in the planning, develpment, management and versight f the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime. In additin t ur wn cre management cnsultancy team, tw specialist internatinal cnsultancy firms, ne specialising in standards f fire cver and ne specialising in majr emergency planning and management were engaged in develping the findings, cnclusins and recmmendatins cntained in ur reprt.
0.4 With such widespread inputs and cnsultatin there was, as might be expected, a wide variety and spectrum f views and pinins n the issues t be addressed and n the ptins fr dealing with them. Hwever, we encuntered a high degree f cnsensus acrss the bard n a number f key pints as fllws: There are many psitive features f the current Fire Safety and Fire Services regime in Ireland and much imprvement has been brught abut since the last majr review in 1975 and the Stardust Tribunal reprt in 1982. Hwever, internatinal best practice has mved n in the intervening perid and there are, ntwithstanding the freging pint, a wide range f areas where further imprvement is nw necessary in rder t update and mdernise the regime. In a number f key areas, particularly in relatin t the number f fire deaths in dmestic dwellings and the per capita spend n Fire Safety and Fire Services, Ireland lags behind in terms f internatinal trends and cmparisns. With the passage f time since the last review, and having regard t vastly changed circumstances since the cre features f the current regime were put in place, fundamental structural, rganisatinal, funding, peratinal and prcess change is nw needed in rder t psitin the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime t bring abut reductins in fire deaths, lss and damage frm fire as well as in imprving the capacity t respnd t a wide variety f nn-fire emergency situatins. Gvernment had already identified the need fr actin thrugh increased capital spending ver the last few years. The cmmissining f this Review is further evidence f its cmmitment t develping and mdernising the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime in Ireland in ther areas as well. Sectin 1 - Intrductin 0.5 Sectin 1 f the reprt sets ut the backgrund t the Review, the Terms f Reference fr its cnduct and describes the prcess by which the Review was cnducted. It identifies, in detail, the inputs and cnsultatin prcesses invlved which have been briefly referred t abve. Sectin 2 The Current Regime 0.6 Sectin 2 describes the current regime in Ireland fr Fire Safety and Fire Services. It identifies hw the regime has evlved ver time. It describes the rle and functins f all the key parties. In particular, it draws attentin t the wide range f functins invlved, with a particular emphasis n new functins which have accrued ver time, and which nw heavily utweigh respnding t fire calls as the main activities and taskings f the Fire Service.
Sectin 3 Internatinal Cmparisns 0.7 Sectin 3 sets ut the results f ur research int internatinal cmparatrs. It highlights the difficulties invlved in making such cmparisns because f the lack f reliable statistical data and the absence f any systematic research and develpment functin in the Irish regime. Hwever, it pints ut that in relatin t a number f key trends e.g. fire deaths and per capita spend n Fire Safety and Fire Services, Ireland is smewhat lagging behind. Sectin 4 Analysis f the Current Arrangements 0.8 Sectin 4 sets ut ur detailed findings and cnclusins in relatin t the current arrangements. It des s under three brad headings as fllws: Firstly, it acknwledges the many psitive features f the current regime. Secndly, it draws attentin t a number f verarching strategic prblems which remain t be addressed. Thirdly, in accrdance with ur Terms f Reference, it sets ut ur findings and cnclusins under a relatively large number f headings cvering all thse aspects f the current regime which we were specifically directed t review and reprt upn. 0.9 In acknwledging the many psitive features f the current regime, particular attentin is drawn t the fllwing key pints: Increased capital spending by Gvernment is tackling the infrastructure prblems in relatin t fire statins, the appliance fleet and ther equipment. Ireland has a relatively gd recrd in relatin t majr fire incidents in multiple ccupancy buildings leading t multiple fire deaths/casualties. The Fire Service has a large number f prfessinal and cmmitted persnnel at all levels. There is n stensible reasn why unnecessary public alarm r cncern shuld be raised in relatin t fire cver and emergency fire respnse capability. A massive increase in fire and nn-fire emergency calls is, by and large, being respnded t and as far as we can ascertain, being handled in a satisfactry manner. The building cntrl system (fr fire safety purpses) has been in place since 1992 and the licensing enfrcement regime is being imprved, albeit at the expense f ther frms f fire preventin activity. 0.10 The main verarching strategic prblems which require t be addressed are identified as including: The extent t which the diffusin f authrity, respnsibility and accuntability acrss a wide number f statutry agencies and within DELG and Lcal Authrities des nt prvide the integrated structures and strng natinal leadership which the regime nw requires.
The fact that ur apprach t the determinatin f fire cver standards has been vertaken by best practice mdels which nw fllw a risk-based apprach. The need fr further develpment f the Majr Emergency Management regime particularly in relatin t scenari planning, in imprving mitigatin as well as respnse capacity, in the structures and the prcesses fr dealing with majr incidents, which by definitin will verwhelm lcal capacity and will, in ur view, require a reginal r natinal scale respnse and in develping expert cmpetencies and specialist crdinatin arrangements at natinal level. The lw mrale within the Service which pints t the need t advance the develpmental HR agenda and t vercme restrictive practices and the ther negative imparts f an histrically fraught and adversarial industrial relatins regime. The need t change, strengthen and imprve structures at all levels and t vercme barriers t prmtin and career advancement inherent in the current tw-tier entry system. There is als a need fr greater emphasis n health and safety fr Fire-fighters, and n cmpetencies, training and equality issues. The variability f service prvisin frm ne Lcal Authrity t anther, frm emergency respnse t the different level f invlvement and practices adpted in relatin t fire preventin, building cntrl and licensing enfrcement. The variability f standards invlved, which is cmpunded by the absence f perfrmance management r quality auditing, is nt apprpriate in the field f public safety. 0.11 The findings and cnclusins arising frm the specific aspects which we were directed t review and reprt upn under ur Terms f Reference are t numerus t utline in this Executive Summary. In many respects the issues which arise are, in any event, mainly symptmatic f the mre fundamental causal factrs set ut abve. Hwever, the fllwing pints are indicative f the issues identified: Gaps and weaknesses in the legislative framewrks. Difficulties in maintaining the retained service unless mre flexible arrangements are put in place. Gaps in training prvisin. The need fr further imprvements in infrastructure (statins, appliance fleet, equipment). The degree t which the vluntary sectr is nt sufficiently integrated within the statutry regime and is nt, therefre, sufficiently leveraged. The extent t which ptential fr increasing effectiveness and/r realising savings are nt being fully explited e.g. in relatin t Sectin 59 agreements, in prviding mre services n a reginal basis and in greater utilisatin f infrmatin technlgy. Sectin 5 Recmmendatins 0.12 Sectin 5 sets ut ur recmmendatins fr further enhancing the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime t deal with the areas where imprvement is necessary as set ut in Sectin 4. We take the view in Sectin 5 f the reprt that the primary fcus needs t be n putting in place a rbust framewrk which will enable the majr change agenda nw required t be definitively tackled.
0.13 We als pint ut in Sectin 5 that the fact that a fundamental verhaul f the regime is nw necessary is perhaps understandable given the length f time since it was last reviewed. The nature and extent f the change prgramme nw needed shuld nt, in ur view, be used t level unfair and unjust criticism nr shuld it be explited t raise unnecessary public alarm r cncern. 0.14 Our primary recmmendatin is that a new Natinal Authrity fr Fire and Civil Prtectin/Emergency Services be established. We believe that the new Authrity shuld be brught int being thrugh integrating and amalgamating int a single structure the functins currently discharged by: The Fire and Emergency Planning Sectin f DELG. The Fire Advisry Service f DELG. The Fire Services Cuncil. The Natinal Safety Cuncil (fire safety prmtin and awareness). The Cnstructin Sectin f the DELG in relatin t building cntrl (the Cnstructin Sectin f the DELG will remain respnsible fr the nging develpment and upgrading f Building Regulatins / Standards and related Technical Guidance Dcuments in cnsultatin with the Building Regulatins Advisry Bdy (BRAB)). 0.15 We believe strngly that a single unified structure under the new Authrity is the ptimum means f achieving cherent natinal leadership and develpment fr the Fire Safety and Fire Services regime. 0.16 We als recmmend that it wuld be mre ratinal fr Gvernment t transfer t the new Authrity certain functins which currently reside elsewhere in the administrative structures f the State. These include: Civil Defence. Inland Waterways Search and Rescue. Muntain and Cave Search and Rescue. The Lcal Authrity Lifeguard Service. It seems t us that these functins have mre affinity with the cre functins prpsed fr the new Authrity. In additin, if ur recmmendatins in this regard are accepted, we believe that they will prvide fr better integratin and leverage f the vluntary sectr, which we believe can make a significant and valuable cntributin in terms f cmmunity self prtectin. 0.17 We recmmend new structures fr the Authrity based n a Bard and an Advisry Cuncil and a staffing structure cnsisting f fur directrates (Operatins, Safety Prgrammes, Majr Emergency Management and Crprate Services) headed by a Chief Executive and with a ttal f 45 staff.
0.18 We recmmend new structures at Lcal Authrity level als which mirrr the arrangements nw prpsed at natinal level. This will invlve bringing existing Lcal Authrity Fire Services and Building Cntrl functins tgether, with thse referred t at 0.16 abve, int a single structure at lcal level. 0.19 We make a large number f ther mre detailed recmmendatins, the key features f which include: The adptin f a new risk-based apprach t the determinatin f fire cver standards. New appraches, prcesses and structures fr Majr Emergency Management. Mre cncentratin and investment in preventin/mitigatin including the implementatin f Cmmunity Fire Safety prgrammes and the harnessing f Fire-fighters as frnt line ambassadrs f the safety message. Better enfrcement f building cntrl regulatins and f licensing (including During Perfrmance Inspectins). The intrductin f a cmpetency-based apprach t recruitment, retentin and career prgressin including the remval f barriers t prmtin inherent in the current tw-tier entry system. Greater flexibility in the deplyment and tasking f staff at all levels. An enhanced training regime. Cntinued capital investment t imprve infrastructure. Mre use f Sectin 59 agreements and mre ratinalisatin and better crdinatin at reginal level. A range f measures t enhance the retained Fire Service. Mre emphasis n implementatin f health, safety and welfare at wrk initiatives and equality. 0.20 Despite the extent f ur recmmendatins and the fundamental change prgramme invlved, we believe that the utcme f the Review can be implemented within an affrdable cst envelpe. Our key recmmendatins n funding are that: The increased capital investment prgramme be maintained at current levels and be reviewed n a three-year cyclical basis as infrastructure and equipment are brught up t standard. The increased fcus n preventin, mitigatin and enfrcement be achieved n a self-financing basis based n revenues frm sectrs which benefit. The significant immediate additinal cst which will arise will be in relatin t the staffing csts f establishing the new Natinal Authrity which we estimate at abut IR 2m/ 2.54m t IR 3m/ 3.81m per annum. The insurance industry be required t make a greater cntributin t csts. The ablitin f incident-related charges (ther than nuisance deterrent charges) which cntribute relatively little t verall csts and which are difficult t levy and difficult t cllect.
Sectin 6 Implementatin 0.21 Sectin 6 sets ut ur views n implementatin. In essence, we recmmend that the Minister, fllwing cnsideratin f ur reprt, and if he is in agreement, annunce his acceptance f the main thrust f the findings, cnclusins and recmmendatins and his intentin t establish the new Authrity as a first step twards change. We then recmmend the implementatin structure which shuld be put in place and the prcess needed fr develping a detailed, phased implementatin plan. Sme Key Facts abut the Irish Fire Service Each Lcal Authrity is charged with the duty f prviding a Fire Service in their functinal area, under the Fire Services Act, 1981. The Fire Service is part f the Lcal Authrity system and is delivered as part f Prgramme Grup 5 - Envirnmental Prtectin and absrbs 50 per cent f the cst f the Envirnmental Prtectin Budget n average in Lcal Authrities. While the day t day peratins f the Fire Service is under the directin f the Chief Fire Officer in a Lcal Authrity, ultimately the Cunty Manager r his/her delegate is by definitin respnsible fr the prvisin f Fire Prtectin Services in the Authrity s functinal area. Mst f the functins in relatin t the Fire Service in the Lcal Authrity are executive functins and are the respnsibility f the Manager f the Authrity with the exceptin f Preparatin f Fire and Operatins Plan, knwn as the Sectin 26 Plan, which is a reserved functin and is a matter fr the Cuncil as a whle i.e. lcally elected pliticians. The Department f Envirnment and Lcal Gvernment has an advisry rle and as such des nt have the authrity t inspect Lcal Authrity Fire Services r impse Perfrmance Standards fr the Fire Service n the Lcal Authrities. Fire services in Ireland are delivered by full-time brigades in the large urban areas and retained (r part-time brigade) in the rest f the cuntry. Recruitment t the Fire Service is at tw levels i.e. as a recruit Fire-fighter r t the lwer levels f Senir Officer grades. Under current arrangements, nly graduates in engineering (r architecture) can prgress t the level f Chief Fire Officer. Training f Fire Service persnnel is the respnsibility f the individual Fire Authrities. They are assisted in this by the FSC, which rganises training fr Officers. The DELG prvides capital funding fr fire statins, appliance fleet and equipment as well as mbilisatin / cmmunicatin equipment. The NSC is the statutry bdy respnsible fr the prmtin f fire safety awareness. Individual Fire Authrities are empwered t give advice n public safety under the Fire Services Act, 1981.