Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan has called on the Government to open negotiations on a new public service pay agreement by May at the latest.

Planned industrial action 500 hospital pharmacists, which was due to take place on Wednesday (16th February) was suspended following confirmation last week that the dispute could be referred to the Labour Court.

Mask-wearing is to remain compulsory in in healthcare settings, although the Government looks set to scrap the requirement for masks to be worn in schools, public offices and on public transport.

Fórsa has welcomed new Government measures to ease the cost of living crisis, but says more needs to be done

Fórsa officials have told the Oireachtas health Committee that key reforms are urgently needed to sustain home support services, which currently support more than 65,000 people each year.

Fórsa is today (Friday) meeting public expenditure and reform minister Michael McGrath to discuss the possibility of targeted four-day week working pilots in areas of the public service from early 2023.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) will next week submit written evidence to an Oireachtas committee charged with scrutinising planned new laws that the Government claims would give all workers a right to request remote working arrangements.

A new ‘Office of the Protected Disclosures Commissioner’ is to be established on foot of a proposed strengthening of legal protections for workplace whistleblowers, published this week.