Fórsa, and other unions representing members providing health and welfare services in the community and voluntary sector, are due to return to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to continue negotiations on further adjustments in funding for the sector.

Under the terms of a 2023 interim agreement, these talks are part of an engagement to agree further adjustments in funding, for organisations and their staff, that will have regard to the terms of current and future public service pay agreements. 

The link to public service pay for some members working in Section 39 (health and disability services) Section 56 (services to children), Section 10 (homeless services), was broken in 2009 following the financial crash.

WRC discussions have been taking place in recent months. However, negotiations have been challenging.

Fórsa’s head of health and welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the unions remained focused on finding a solution: “Progress remains very slow, and therefore very frustrating, not least for our members in the sector who have prevailed through some very difficult years.

Last October a planned strike by community healthcare and social care workers was put on hold after late-night negotiations secured an eight per cent pay offer. Staff in these organisations are paid far less than their counterparts doing equivalent work in the HSE. This pay inequality has led to a recruitment and retention crisis, with an average staff churn of more than 30% per annum, which is crippling the services that care for Ireland’s most vulnerable people.

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