Fórsa members in the HSE will withdraw cooperation with interim agreements for the implementation of community healthcare organisations (CHOs) from tomorrow (25th July).

A joint review group made up of representatives of Fórsa and management will meet next week to continue work on revising the HSE’s ‘assessment of need’ policy, which governs the process of establishing the services required to meet children’s disability or health needs.

Fórsa representatives will meet HSE management at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in late August for talks on hospital pharmacists’ grade reforms.

Legislation that will allow civil and public servants who are currently obliged to retire at age 65 to opt to stay in work for longer has been passed in the Seanad, but was not discussed in the Dáil before the summer recess got underway.

Fórsa expressed its disappointment at the delay after it had called on all the main political parties to enact the law quickly, to give public servants recruited before 1st April 2004 the option to retire up to age 70.

Some 28% of people in Ireland believe they will never be able to own their own home, according to Aviva’s 2018 family finances report. The annual survey, which addresses a range of family finance issues, The survey found that 40% of non-homeowners don’t expect to be able to buy a house for at least a decade.

Fewer than one in seven UK companies paid woman more than men on average last year, and there was no economic sector that paid women more. The figures were revealed at a seminar on tackling the gender pay gap, which took place at Leinster House earlier this month.

Fórsa/IALPA Ryanair pilot strike update, withdrawal of cooperation from community healthcare organisations and more. Presented by Hazel Gavigan and Róisín McKane.