Talks on the introduction of safety measures necessary to facilitate a partial reopening of primary sector special schools and special classes are continuing. The Government is seeking the partial reopening of these services from 21st January, but Fórsa and the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) have not committed to a specific date at this point.

Paid-up Fórsa members working in the civil and public service, and in non-commercial State agencies, will receive details of the voting arrangements in a ballot for a proposed new public service agreement next week.

The new proposed new public service agreement, Building Momentum, includes a commitment to a review of the special needs assistants’ (SNA) contract. This would be the first opportunity to renegotiate the SNA contract for over 15 years.

If accepted, the proposed new public service agreement, Building Momentum, would run from January 2021 to December 2022. It allows for two pay increases, each worth 1% of annual salary or €500 a year, whichever is the greater.

Many public service employers are flouting official Government restrictions on workplace attendance under level five of Covid restrictions, according to Fórsa, which this week said the national effort to bring the coronavirus under control could be undermined by widespread management failure to properly identify which workers need to attend their work premises to undertake essential functions.

Civil and public servants whose working time was increased under the 2013 Haddington Road agreement (HRA) will see a reduction in their hours next year if the proposed new public service agreement is accepted in ballots of union members.