The process of reassigning workers to other parts of the public service got underway this week, after the Local Government Management Authority (LGMA) forwarded guidance to Fórsa on which local authority services are deemed essential at this time.

Local authority-led Covid-19 community response forums are being established around the country. The forums will work to ensure that vulnerable people are supported by coordinating a community response to the crisis and facilitating the collaboration of voluntary statutory agencies.

Fórsa has supported calls by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) for the Government to implement stronger measures to avoid an economic depression as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.

Fórsa has amended its advice to members to say they should stay away from workplaces on public health grounds unless their employer has told them they need to attend work. Until now, the union has advised staff to go in unless told otherwise. The union says much of the dust has settled since the An Taoiseach’s ‘stay at home’ announcement last Friday (27th March), and that most employers have now given clear direction to staff.

The civil defence service is stepping up to support communities during the Covid-19 crisis. The mainly-volunteer agency is being tasked with distributing food parcels to vulnerable people, assisting An Garda Síochána in social distancing outdoors, setting up isolation centres, and transporting food and laundry for homelessness services.