The union has reached a draft agreement with local government employers on confined promotion competitions in local authorities. It intends to put the outcome to a ballot once the final details have been worked out.

Ten national political parties, who between them fielded over 1,000 candidates in last week’s local elections, have signed up to a trade union pledge to increase local authority funding and restore local council powers in areas like housing, water and environmental protection.

The standard domestic subsistence ‘day rates’ paid to civil servants who are out of the office on business are to increase by 10% from July. But overnight rates will remain the same.

The Dublin fire brigade ambulance control service in Tara Street is to remain in place on foot of an agreement brokered in talks chaired by former Labour Court chairman Kevin Duffy.

The number of civil and public servants reached 330,500 in 2018. This is above the previous peak of recent times, which was reached in 2009.

President Michael D Higgins signed the Parental Leave (Amendment) Bill 2017 into law last week.