The Government must consider bringing Dublin’s privatised waste services back into public control if it’s serious about tackling fly-tipping, according to Fórsa. The union was responding to comments by Government minister Denis Naughten, who was defending his administration’s poor record on illegal dumping.

Dublin City Council water and drainage crews, who have been working tirelessly to fix leaks and burst pipes on foot of last week’s weather emergency, say disruption to water services is coming under control.

Fórsa addressed the Oireachtas Committee on Budgetary Oversight last week, and demanded the reinstatement of tax relief on individual workers’ trade union subscriptions.

Representatives of Fórsa and Siptu members in Dublin fire brigade want an urgent meeting with the local government minister Eoghan Murphy to discuss the need for adequate training, resources and risk assessments to deal with the threat of high-rise fires.

Fórsa officials and other union reps are to give evidence on the future delivery of water services at a hearing of the Oireachtas committee on housing, planning and local government.

Fórsa is mobilising members to take part in the Housing is a Human Right national demonstration on Saturday, 7th April.

Representatives from across Fórsa met for the first time last week to explore the potential for new cross-divisional, grade specific bodies called ‘equivalent grade committees’ or ‘professional committees.

We look at the main stories in the current edition of the news bulletin. Presented by Hazel Gavigan and Niall Shanahan