Labour Court upholds ruling against retained firefighter on standby time

The Labour Court dismissed David Walsh’s appeal over standby time as a retained firefighter, finding the time was not working time under the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997 and that Kerry County Council had not breached the Act during the relevant period. The Court’s determination was dated 8 November 2022. The appeal concerned Walsh’s complaint against his employer, Kerry County Council. The Court said the case relied on the same facts as a linked case, in which it had determined that retained firefighters’ standby time was not working time under the Act or the Working Time Directives. It upheld the Adjudication Officer’s decision.