Over 200 Dublin Fire Brigade staff were unable to work due to positive COVID tests or close contact isolation on New Year's Eve.
The Chief Fire Officer of Dublin Fire Brigade told Dublin City Council last night that it makes up nearly 20% of the total workforce.
That has improved in recent days, with the Council hearing 107 staff members are still directly impacted as of yesterday.
"We have, in essence, closed off all training to direct staff to an operationally focused position," said CFO Dennis Keeley.
DFB has been granted a derogation to allow essential staff to self-isolate for shorter timeframes.
However, Mr Keeley says that has yet to be enforced:
"We have been monitoring that," he says.
"Obviously there’s a risk associated with activating that derogation, it’s a point of last resort.
"We haven’t been there, but I would say we came close to it on New Year’s Eve."
