The Labour-Employer Economic Forum (LEEF), a trade union-employer-Government social dialogue forum established in 2016, is to be expanded to deal with four pressing issues: housing, pensions, childcare and employment rights. Separate parallel sessions on these issues are to commence shortly.

Fórsa deputy general secretary Kevin Callinan represents the Irish Congress of Trade Unions on the LEEF, which is the main forum for social dialogue in the post-partnership era.

Last month, Fórsa’s national conference passed a motion seeking an extension of the social dialogue process to encompass public policy issues that affect workers and business, but which cannot be resolved at workplace level.

Senior general secretary Shay Cody praised the LEEF, but said it must be developed to create a platform where issues that affect workers outside their immediate workplace can be discussed. “A place where we can engage with the whole of government – not just individual ministers or departments – on important topics that impact on livelihoods and living standards,” he said.

Employers’ body Ibec agrees on the need for a richer social dialogue, while the recent Gothenburg summit of EU leaders also highlighted the value of developing the process.