The Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) is now expected to make its initial report on professions and grades experiencing recruitment and retention difficulties at the end of July. Its first report will cover nursing, medical and air corps grades. Fórsa grades in the civil service and health will be the subject of later reports.

The Public Service Stability Agreement requires the commission to undertake a detailed examination of recruitment and retention issues in areas where it has become problematic. Fórsa made submissions on the health and social care professions and specific grades in the civil service.

Although the PSPC’s first report will cover nurses and doctors, Fórsa’s head of health Éamonn Donnelly said no profession or union had “a monopoly” on the issue; He warned the Government to be even-handed in its response to the PSPC's examination of the problem.