Fórsa is in discussions with the Department of Education and Skills on government-proposed changes in the way special needs assistants are allocated to schools.

Most of the political parties contesting the general election have backed an end to the current two-tier pay system for school secretaries.

A spat over public service pay broke out between the two main parties in the middle of the election campaign when Fine Gael pledged average annual pay increases of 2.5% in the four years following 2020, while accusing Fianna Fáil of planning a pay freeze.

The National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) recently launched its feminist manifesto for Ireland as part of an effort to make women’s equality a key feature the election. Party leaders were invited to answer four questions, and there were some interesting results.

As the general election campaign entered its second week, most political parties were caught off-guard by the emergence of the pension age as an election issue. Currently the age at which workers can claim the state pension is 66. It’s due to rise to 67 in 2021, and to 68 in 2028.