"The membership of Fórsa’s education division reached 17,000 for the first time this week. It’s an increase of more than 5,000 members over the last three years. And, as our membership density has improved, so have the outcomes we’ve been able to deliver for our members".

Fórsa has welcomed the outcome of a UCD review, which says the national online training programme for special needs assistants (SNAs) meets the standards of a NFQ Level seven certificate.

Union negotiators have urged all public service unions to join a coordinated campaign, supported by industrial action ballots, for improved pay.

Unions have won the right for workers to get paid sick leave after new legislation passed through both houses of the Oireachtas earlier this week.

Inflation is likely to average close to 8% over the whole of 2023 before falling gradually to around 4% by the middle of next year. That’s the latest view from the trade union-backed Nevin Economic Research Institute (NERI).

Revised legislation to implement the Government’s promise to give all workers a right to request remote working won’t be published until the autumn at the earliest.