Fórsa and Oberstown management reached an agreement at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) earlier this month (6th November) on an interim resourcing plan designed to address ongoing staffing and safety concerns at the campus. 

The agreement follows a period of significant operational strain at Oberstown, where ongoing recruitment and staffing challenges have impacted the working environment. The detention centre was subject to media attention during the summer months, following reports of several assaults and serious injuries experienced by staff.  

Fórsa issued an instruction in mid-October, with clear guidance on operational limits where staff shortages occur. This instruction has now been rescinded following the successful outcome of the WRC conciliation conference. 

The agreed plan sets out a series of time-bound measures to ensure safe and sustainable staffing levels, improve communication, and support staff engagement in the implementation process. These include daily risk assessments, immediate recruitment activity and the formation of an implementation group, jointly chaired and composed of union and management representatives, to oversee progress and resolve any emerging issues. 

Fórsa assistant general secretary Deirdre O’Connell said the outcome represents a necessary and practical step toward creating a safe, stable working environment, and urged members to remain actively engaged as the plan proceeds: “It’s imperative that Oberstown workers engage locally with their reps so that appropriate and accurate feedback can inform the implementation meetings. Your input will be essential in ensuring that the agreed measures deliver real improvements on the ground. 

“Everyone involved recognises the requirement to ensure the safety of all staff and residents at Oberstown. This agreement draws on the expertise and experience of our members, and its full implementation is absolutely necessary to re-establish trust, and to further ensure a safe residential and educational environment for the young people in Oberstown,” she said.  

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