Retained Part-Time Firefighter

Clare County Council/ Comhairle Contae an Chláir is the authority responsible for Local Government in County Clare. The corporate headquarters are located at Áras Contae an Chláir, New Road, Ennis and there are four Municipal Districts (Ennis, Shannon, Killaloe, and West Clare) which are supported through area offices in Ennis, Scarriff, Shannon, Ennistymon and Kilrush. There are 28 elected members, approximately 990 staff and an annual operating budget of €204 million in 2026.

 Clare County Council provides a diverse range of services across a large geographic area. Key services areas include planning, Local Enterprise Office, rural and community development, transportation, motor tax, water, environment, emergency services along with housing activation & delivery, libraries, and sports & amenities, property management, derelict sites, and vacant homes. These operations are supported by internal services which include ICT & Digital Services, Corporate Services & Governance, Finance and People and Culture functions.

There is a diverse demographic across urban and rural communities with tourism bringing seasonal changes in population and activity in the county. The Shannon estuary, Shannon Airport, industrial zones, and geographic location between larger urban areas, coupled with the unique landscape and heritage add to the diversity of activity in the County. Local democracy is strengthened through the Municipal Districts and changes in legislation and regulation have placed greater emphasis on the role of the Local Authority in driving economic activity, ensuring accountability, accessibility and innovation while placing the customer and the community to the fore of service delivery.

Clare County Council is currently inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the above competition. Clare County Council will, following the interview process, form a panel for the post of Retained Part-time Firefighter from which future relevant vacancies may be filled subject to sanction approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. Positions will be offered in order of merit as per the panel. This panel will exist for 12 months and may be extended for a further period of 6-12 months at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

Clare County Council invites applications from suitably qualified persons, who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which vacancies for Retained Fire-Fighters may be filled throughout the lifetime of the panel. A Firefighter shall be required to attend at fires and other emergencies, drills, displays and other duties at such times and for such periods as required by the County Council. Failure to respond promptly to fire or other emergency calls will be addressed through the Local Authority’s disciplinary procedure.

• Each Firefighter who attends for Fire Brigade service must be prepared to accept the work entailed and to fulfil to the best of their ability their duty as a Firefighter in the saving of life, saving of property and the fighting of fires or other such emergencies.

• Every Firefighter must comply with Clare County Council’s Crew Management Arrangements for Retained Firefighters. Firefighters who are on standby during fires or other incidents shall remain at the Station and perform such duties as may be assigned by the Station Officer from time to time during the callout.

• Firefighters shall ensure that the Fire Station is kept clean & tidy at all times. Firefighting equipment shall be kept clean, maintained properly and stowed away in a safe manner.

• Firefighters are required to adhere to and co-operate with all National and Local Agreements pertaining to the Fire Services.

• Firefighters will be required to attend Training Courses as directed.

• Firefighters must undertake driving duties as required.

• Comply with all organisational policies, procedures and legislation.

• Any other duties as may be assigned from time to time.

EDUCATION: 

Firefighters must have attained a satisfactory level of education to enable them to perform satisfactorily as a Firefighter and to successfully undergo the appropriate training.

CHARACTER:

A Firefighter must be of good character and shall not at any time bring the County Council into disrepute. Employment will be subject to the provision of satisfactory references and Garda Vetting.

AGE:

A Firefighter must be not less than 18 years on the first day of the month in which the latest date for receiving application forms occurs. A birth certificate must be submitted to the County Council as proof of age before a person is engaged as a recruit.

DRIVING LICENCE:

A recruit Firefighter shall possess a valid full current Category B Driving Licence at the time of applying for the post and ideally a Category C Driving Licence for HGV with up to eight passengers.

 All newly appointed Retained Firefighters will be required to obtain a Category C Driving Licence. Firefighters will co-operate with further Driver Training and will be required to drive fire service vehicles, if operationally needed.

 If a Firefighter has their licence suspended or removed for any reason, they must immediately inform the County Council, and it shall be dealt with through the Council’s disciplinary procedure and may result in termination of service at the absolute discretion of the County Council.

HEALTH:

A Firefighter shall be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Medical Examination, etc.:

Before recruitment, in order to ascertain the health of a candidate, successful applicants shall undergo such medical examinations (which may include x-ray and/or other special tests) as the County Council considers necessary. The County Council will nominate the medical examiners. The candidate must comply, at their own expense, with such remedial requirements as the County Council consider necessary.

An Operational Firefighter shall: -

Any defects discovered pertaining to a medical examination will not be remedied at the County Council's expense.

Retention as an operational Firefighter will depend upon receipt of satisfactory reports by medical examiner(s) and to the general condition above as to health.

 An operational Firefighter is required to maintain an appropriate level of physical fitness.

RESIDENCE:

Persons appointed must live and work within a maximum of 5 minutes travel time (based on GPS navigation planner e.g. Google maps or similar as determined by Clare County Council) to allow them to respond for the duration of their employment as a Firefighter. The Council retains the right to request further evidence, if required on the information supplied, for the purpose of verification of place of residence and location of employment.

A Firefighter shall notify the County Council in writing of any subsequent changes of residence or place of employment. A change of residence or place of employment that would place the Firefighter outside these limits will mean automatic termination of employment. The Council will check this prior to appointment and at periodic intervals after appointment.

The salary shall be fully inclusive and shall be as determined from time to time. Holders of the post will be paid at the appropriate point on the salary scale in accordance with the relevant Department Circular.  Where the appointee has been serving elsewhere in the public service in an analogous grade and pay-scale and will be moving without break to another part of the public sector at an analogous grade, the appointment may be made at the appointee’s current point of scale.  The rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government pay policy. Starting pay for new entrants to the sector will be at the minimum of the scale. The terms of the Organisation of Working Time Act, 1997 shall apply.

A Firefighter’s annual leave entitlement will be calculated in accordance with the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and S.I. 473 of 2001 Regulations. A Firefighter is entitled to a maximum of 4 working weeks i.e. 28 days. Payment for annual leave will be 8% of earnings inclusive of community fire safety, station duties, drill hours, training hours and calls in previous 52 weeks.

 A Firefighter will be required to comply with the terms of the Crew Management Arrangements for Retained Firefighters as operated by Clare County Council. In cases of Annual Leave, advance notice must be given to the Station Officer or in their absence, to the Sub-Officer in advance of the first day of Annual Leave. Approval of annual leave will be subject to minimum crewing levels being maintained at station level. Each Firefighter must use their leave sheet or other means to record such annual leave absences. 

Retained Firefighter:

A Firefighter shall be paid at the appropriate approved national rates of Fire and Drill Fees and Retainer Fees and in accordance with any national agreements for retained Firefighters.

 Payment of fees will be made fortnightly.

Retained Fire Service – Fire Fighter - Rates Applicable at 1st August 2025

Retained Firefighter:

A Firefighter shall be paid at the appropriate approved national rates of Fire and Drill Fees and Retainer Fees and in accordance with any national agreements for retained Firefighters.

Retained Fire Service – Fire Fighter - Rates Applicable at 1st August 2025

RETAINER ALLOWANCE

Service

Duration

Allowance

0-1 year

1 Year

€16,190.00

2-4 Years

3 Years

€17,192.00

5-7 Years

3 Years

€18,428.00

8+ Years

€19,555.00

 Attendance Rates

Drills Rate Per Hour €51.04

Fire

Day*

1* Hour €51.04

Subsequent Hour €25.52

Night/Weekend

1st Hour €102.08

Subsequent Hour €51.04

* Day is 08:00 – 20:00 every weekday excluding Bank Holidays