Fórsa has said the Citizens Assembly needs to be considered as a forum to develop meaningful local government reform.

Fórsa has disputed Government estimates that restoring pre-crisis working time in the civil and public service could cost the Exchequer over €600 million a year.  The union’s Senior General Secretary Designate Kevin Callinan said the figure was at least 50% higher than Government estimates when the additional time was introduced in 2013.

The biggest challenge arising from Government proposals to bring water services under a single authority will be ensuring the future of local government itself, according to the head of the Fórsa’s Local Government and Municipal Employees’ divisions.

With just one city or county council for every 148,507 people, Ireland has far fewer local municipalities than similar-sized European countries, while Irish local authorities perform fewer functions than municipalities across Europe.

Delegates at last week’s local government conference in Kilkenny backed a number of motions on climate action and the housing and homelessness crisis.

The first meeting of Fórsa’s just transition network will take place in the union’s office in Nerney’s Court, Dublin 1, at 10.00am on Friday 24th May. T

Fórsa and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions have welcomed a new Government initiative to combat sexual harassment and violence.