Local councillor supports fire fighters on picket line

While the Westmeath Examiner was interviewing the SIPTU shop steward at Mullingar Fire Station today (see separate story), Cllr Ken Glynn called to show his support to the fire fighters.

He brought them bottles of water so they could stay well hydrated in the heat, and he heard their stories first hand.

He told the Examiner he had raised the issue of support for the fire fighters at the last council meeting. He said: “I live just around the corner and I work down the road, I pass the fire station every day, they’re in and out the whole time on emergency calls.

"They do so much for the community. The community relies on them.

“Following the motion [at the council meeting], we wrote to Minister Darragh O’Brien, and the other relevant ministers, to sort this out, and I’m disappointed with what was stated yesterday, and I would call the minister again to sort this out.

“We can not have this. It [addressing the fire fighters’ concerns] is long overdue and we need to get it sorted.”