On Wednesday afternoon multi-instrumentalist Liam O’Connor set an energetic tone during his live wire opening act which included a rousing rendition of Oró Sé Do Bheatha Bhaile. By the end of the show delegates were on their feet, motivated and ready for the business ahead.

President Martin Walsh opened Conference with a wide-ranging speech that covered key issues facing all divisions and considered the broader challenges facing union members.

Martin reminded members that while “Almost everything can be negotiated with an employer, respect, fairness, and dignity at work are non-negotiable, and together that’s what we stand for.”

Motions on pensions were taken first and covered a wider range of aspects, including gender proofing, and enhancing fairness within the public sector pension scheme. Later in the debate, motions on climate and the environment were brought forward.

NEC member Keivan Jackson proposed Motion 44 calling for robust legislation to protect workers rights in the face of climate change, including maximum and minimum workplace temperatures. He said:  “Climate change is no longer some distant environmental concern. It is already affecting our workplaces, our public services and the lives  of our members.”

“Winning a better deal will take all of us”

General secretary Kevin Callinan then addressed conference, outlining the urgent need to win a better deal for workers in the next pay talks, and telling delegates that the days ahead will define our success.

Referring to the union’s growth over the past two years, Kevin said: “We’ve been building our strength, density and presence over the last two years. This is not abstract, it has been built by everyone in this room, and every member in this country.” He then announced that the union has hit its 100,000 membership target, a statement that was warmly applauded by delegates.

Commenting on Budget 2026 he said the failure to index tax bands and the removal of energy credits did not meet the reality people are living in, which has compounded the crushing impact of the cost-of-living crisis.

He expressed frustration that while the government response to recent fuel protests was immediate, the same approach rarely applies to workers, saying: “Why is it that when pressure builds elsewhere, the response is immediate, but when it comes to workers’ concerns, the response is slower - or not there at all?”

He went on to note that collective strength will be needed during pay talks, saying: “Winning a better deal will take all of us. We will go into these talks not hoping to be heard, but impossible to ignore.”

Kevin finished his speech by underscoring the importance of the Better Deal campaign, and said that despite its stated ambition, our demands are in no way unreasonable, but rather, a simple question of fairness, so that life might be a little easier for the workers that hold our country together.

Read RTE’s coverage of the speech here: Fórsa General Secretary demands better pay deal

Read the Irish Independent's Conference coverage here.