The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) has received a budget boost of €4 million as part of Budget 2021, bringing the authority’s annual funding grant to €24.5 million, the highest level of State funding since 2008.

Following the economic crash in 2008 the authority’s grant fell to €18.6 million, while staff numbers were reduced from 197 to around 170, greatly reducing the agency’s capacity to carry out workplace inspections.

Fórsa official Ashley Connolly said the latest boost in funding is to allow for the recruitment of additional staff to monitor the challenges of Covid-19 in the workplace, including compliance with the ‘return to work safely protocol,’ which emerged from negotiations between unions, employers and the Government.

“The increased funding and staff recruitment reflects the importance of boosting workplace safety during the Covid pandemic.

“Fórsa has continued to make the case to improve funding in order to keep pace with recent years of economic growth. The pandemic brings a uniquely different set of challenges, requiring a robust workplace safety inspection culture. On that basis, this additional funding is very much to be welcomed,” she said.