Fire engines have been damaged in attacks on crews

The comments follow five attacks on the Fire Service at the weekend.

One officer was hit with a stone and a fire engine was damaged in the attacks in Belfast, Lurgan and Newtownards on Sunday.

Union spokesman Jim Barbour said Health and Public Safety Minister Angela Smith was playing the attacks down.

"I am saying the minister is downplaying, as far as she can possibly get away with, each attack," he said.

'Greater understanding'

"I mean in the last fortnight, and this is a fact because I have the statistics, there have been 62 calls been 7 March and 21 March to our brigade headquarters at Lisburn for assistance at civil disturbance attacks.

"How does that add up with Angela Smith's statistics?

"There is something clearly wrong, someone is not telling the truth and I can tell you our firefighters are."

However, a statement from the Department of Health said it condemned the 1,060 incidents recorded involving the Fire Brigade in the last three years.

"A number of outreach initiatives are currently being developed with community representatives, youth organisations, cross community groups and via the Fire Brigade network of community safety officers and operational staff on Fire Stations," the statement said.