Fórsa wrote to its branches in local authorities at the end of last week to share some good council practices and advice to maximise health and safety, while maintaining service to the public.

Good employers in the sector are asking members of the public to contact their local authority by phone or email in the first instance – in order to minimise the risk of spreading the coronavirus.

When visits to council offices are unavoidable, it’s recommended that these are done by appointment to ease the implementation of effective social distancing measures while keeping essential services on track.

Agreement has also been reached to ensure proper arrangements for social distancing in Dublin City Council’s waste management services.

Meanwhile, the union has resolved a problem that emerged when one local authority sought to introduce radically changed working time patterns.