Retained fire services in Kerry will ramp up their industrial action this weekend, after SIPTU announced stations across the country will "go dark" from Saturday morning.
This means, retained stations will continue to attend emergencies but will have zero communications with fire service management or regional control centres.
Damian Quigg - acting station officer for Killorglin and county shop steward with SIPTU for retained firefighters – says at the moment the service in the county operates at a 60 percent open, 40 percent closed basis.
He says, from Saturday morning, this will escalate to a 50/50, adding that if talks have not progressed by August 19th , one station in the county will close each week.
Mr Quigg says the fire service is not fit for purpose and needs a complete overhaul
