Fórsa and Siptu have written to the public expenditure minister Paschal Donohoe to demand that he convene a meeting of the Community Sector High Level Forum to address funding for the sector and pensions for its staff.

The unions questioned the accuracy of a response the minister made to a recent Dáil question. They believe he over-estimated the cost of honouring a Labour Court recommendation on pensions for community employment scheme supervisors.

The minister claimed that there had been extensive discussion of the issue at the Community Sector High Level Forum. But this is not the case.

The High Level Forum, which includes representatives of government departments, statutory agencies and trade unions involved in the community sector, is meant to meet quarterly, but it has not been convened for nearly two years.