Unions have written to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe seeking immediate intervention on planned delays in HSE staff receiving pay increases guaranteed under the recently ratified national public service pay agreement.

HSE staff previously experienced delays in receiving pay increases in 2022 and 2023. In an attempt to prevent a repeat of these delays, unions wrote to the HSE on 25th March. The HSE responded on 12th April, informing them that payments would be delayed until 28th June at the earliest.

As it stands new rates and arrears should be applied as follows: 

• East, South-East, Midlands, Midwest, and Northwest regions – before Friday 28 June
• North-East region - New rates before Friday 28 June. Arrears before Wednesday 31 July
• South - before Tuesday 2 July
• West - New rates before Wednesday 31 July. Arrears before Monday 30 September

Pay scales for Fórsa members working in Health and Welfare have been updated on the Fórsa website, reflecting the first pay increment under the Public Service Agreeent 2024-2026, covering the period from 1st January 2024 to 30th June 2026.  

The revised scales are now available on the Fórsa website and can be viewed here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today. 

Addressing the Hospital Pharmacists Association of Ireland (HPAI) AGM on Saturday 20th April, Fórsa national secretary Linda Kelly emphasised the fruits of Hospital Pharmacists persistent organising efforts on the ground. She underscored the substantial career structure enhancements and improved pay achieved through years of dedicated grassroots organising work by pharmacists across the country.

“For those of you who began this journey with the publication of the McLoughlin report in 2011, or even before that – I believe we are now weeks from the publication of a circular which will see the creation of both the Deputy Pharmacy Executive Manager Post and the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist post.”

“You have achieved this by working collectively within your union and your association. Working together, with determination and resilience, you have won a new career structure with improved pay for you and your colleagues. You have done that. The HSE didn’t give this to you. The Department of Health didn’t gift it you. You got organised, you named the issues, and you got the outcome.”

The Review of Hospital Pharmacy (McLoughlin Report) recognised the need for a revised structure for hospital pharmacy. It was the first review undertaken since 1978, which was when the current grading structure was agreed. Since the publication of the McLoughlin report, Hospital Pharmacists have been engaged in substantial and lengthy campaign to see the outcome of that review implemented. 

The final version of a technical report developed by the HSE and Fórsa to support the implementation of the Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (ASP) role has now been submitted to the Department of Health and shared with members. Linda urged members to make themselves familiar with this document in advance of the Department of Health issuing the relevant circular.

 “It has been a mammoth task to get to this stage and I do want to take this opportunity to thank Richard Sykes, Deirdre Lynch and Elaine Conyard who have been incredible representatives at the negotiation table for you and your colleagues. It’s also, I’ll hasten to add not over yet. The obvious part being we must get the Department of Health to publish the circular, but we must then also re-engage with the HSE on the role of Pharmacy Managers and on progressing discussions on a Pharmacy Regional Lead within the Health Region Structure,” enthused Linda.

That circular is expected to establish a validation exercise for current staff who wish to apply for Advanced Specialist Pharmacist (ASP). The validation exercise is grounded in the recommendations of the technical report.

The newly published technical report aims to outline a process for validating the practice level of pharmacists employed by the HSE in Acute Hospitals who are currently working at an Advanced Specialist Practice level in their roles. 

Closing her address, Linda highlighted the significance of the recent Public Service Agreement which was overwhelmingly ratified by both Fórsa members and the wider trade union membership in the public service by, stating, "The agreement provides for a local bargaining clause within section 4. This is the first such clause in a public sector agreement since the early 1990s." 

She emphasised the importance of this clause by urging members to consider its implications, saying, "What does this mean in reality? You need to decide what else you want for your profession." Linda further encouraged active participation, stating, "There will be meetings organised in due course to establish what the priorities are for Hospital Pharmacists, and it is for you to make those decisions and to form a consensus around a claim."

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan has said the limited data available from the Public Appointments Service (PAS) reveals that appointments to public services roles are not reflective of the diverse communities that they serve. He said the apparent lack of diversity “raises some concerns for the public service more broadly.”

Addressing the Irish Association of Former Parliamentarians, at its 9th annual seminar earlier this month, Kevin said skilled workers from 117 different countries have brought their expertise to our healthcare system and that - without them – “we must question how quickly the provision of healthcare in this country would crumble.”

The theme of the seminar was “The Challenges and Opportunities of a Multicultural Society.”

Kevin said the available data “paints a distinct picture of our healthcare and social work sector. Knowing the vast diversity of our healthcare workers assists us in prioritising how best we can support the people who provide such a vital public service."

“As trade unions, we must ensure that these individuals are protected from discrimination, can be integrated into communities, and are welcomed into new spaces with open arms." Kevin also emphasised that employers have an obligation to provide workplaces that are free from hate speech and in which their staff feel safe.

Kevin added that, in contrast to health service data (from the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland), information on the participation of migrant workers is not captured across the entirety of the public service. 

He said limited information available from the Public Appointments System (PAS) shows that 88% of applications, between 2019 and 2021, were from individuals who identified as ‘White Irish,’ and of the appointments during that period, 89% were ‘White Irish’ and a further 6% were ‘White’ from any other background. 

He commented: “What does this limited data tell us? It tells us one thing: these public services roles are not reflective of the diverse communities that they serve. And this raises some concerns for the public service more broadly,” he said.  

Kevin said the Migrant Integration Strategy, adopted by the Government in 2017, included plans for proactive outreach measures to be taken by all public sector employers to increase the number of individuals from an immigrant background working within the public and civil service.

He added: “It also set out an aim to have a civil service which is reflective of Irish society, with 1% of staffing coming from ethnic minority backgrounds. According to the 2019 Progress Report, only 4% of applications came from migrant communities. 

“It’s imperative that the Government not only sets out to monitor its progress but publishes this information as an act of accountability and transparency,” he said.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa welcomed the announcement last week by the Department of Health that the special scheme of paid leave, for employees suffering from long-COVID, has been temporarily extended for three months.

Responding to the announcement, Fórsa’s national secretary for Health and Welfare, Ashley Connolly, said the extension would provide space for conciliation talks, which took place at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) last Wednesday (17th April).

Ashley commented: “Long-COVID continues to be a serious health problem for hundreds of healthcare staff. It is a condition without precedent and creates a challenge both for those workers affected and the health services more generally.

“It is essential that we can develop an agreed and permanent solution for those affected. The temporary extension announced today provides a bit of much needed breathing space for conciliation and will provide some peace of mind for affected workers following months of uncertainty and worry,” she said

.
Following the WRC engagement last week, Ashley said: “We remain in process with a further hearing scheduled for May. We know how much this matters to our members, and we will keep pushing for a fair outcome.”

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Fórsa members working at St. Christopher's Services community disability services in Longford have been balloting this week for industrial action following the breach of a 2021 collective agreement on the payment of increments.

The ballot of members opened on Monday (22nd). Fórsa official Tony Martin explained: “The issue in dispute is the breach of a collective agreement around the payment of increments.

“The employer informed union members, at a meeting in March, that the HSE had requested that the payment of increments be suspended in 2024, until further notice, as the health body was unable to provide the necessary funding.

“A general meeting of members was attended by more than 70 members, and we are now balloting for industrial action - up to and including strike action – with the backing of Fórsa’s Health and Welfare divisional executive,” he said.

Tony had notified St Christopher’s that it is now in a trade dispute with Fórsa, and said the union remained available for talks on a resolution of the issue.

The ballot remains open until 12 noon next Monday (29th April).

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Since February, Fórsa’s CORU registration roadshow has been travelling around the country speaking to our social care work members. The roadshow is a series of seminars to support and advise our our members on the CORU regulation and registration processes. 

The next event will take place in our Limerick office on Tuesday 30th April, followed by events in our Cork office on Tuesday 28th May, and in the Wexford Trade Union Centre on Tuesday 11th June. Further events are scheduled up to 11th September 2024. The full list of events is available here.

On 30th November 2023, new legislation came into effect which requires all social care workers to register with CORU. This is in preparation for 30th November 2025, when the title ‘Social Care Worker’ will become a legally protected title in Ireland.
 
Fórsa assistant general secretary Chris Cully said, “We want to ensure that our members are well informed of any regulatory changes and take them through the registration process so they can avoid any pitfalls and spend more time focussing on their work.”
 
These events are only open to Fórsa members. Anyone interested in attending an information event can join Fórsa by clicking here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

This May will see the first Fórsa Members' National Awards presented at Biennial Conference in Killarney. The new awards, distinct from the Distinguished Service Awards, are open to all members, regardless of years of service.

Members are encouraged to nominate members whose work they feel deserves recognition. The intention is that by putting each other forward, members will celebrate each other’s hard work, learn from one another, and in the process build a more positive and productive union culture.

When discussing the awards, Fórsa President Michael Smyth said “Fórsa’s strength is our members, and so many of you all around the country work tirelessly to make our union a stronger union. With these awards we want to recognise members’ incredible work and celebrate our collective successes.”

Nominations opened on Monday 15th April. Branch Committees are invited to submit nominations for members who have made an achievement or contribution towards building a stronger union. Members are encouraged to contact their Branch Committee with their recommendations for members deserving of nomination.

Nominations are to be made under any one of seven categories:

• Organising award 
• Delivering for members award 
• Campaigning award 
• Recruitment award 
• Community champion award 
• Branch effectiveness award 
• Outstanding pandemic response champion 

The judging panel will review nominations and select winners from in early May. Winners will be informed on 8th May, and awards will be presented during Biennial Conference in Killarney, 15th – 17th May.

Any queries about the awards can be sent to awards@forsa.ie 

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Ireland’s first ever Trade Union Week takes place next week, running from Monday 29th April to Sunday 5th May. A flurry of member organised events will take place across the island showcasing the strength and diversity of the movement.

Kicking off the festivities with a bang, Bohemian Football Club will line out in a jersey emblazoned with the Better in a Trade Union tagline when they face Dundalk FC in Oriel Park tonight, Friday 26 April. Chris Crowley, a clerical officer and member of Fórsa took part in both the initial video launch of the campaign, and the photo shoot to launch the new strip outside Liberty Hall.  

He joined Bohs players James Akintunde and Anna Hegarty to pose at the Connolly statue alongside members from SIPTU. Chris maintains the campaign has been an incredible conversation starter in his workplace.

Talking about the campaign he said: “It’s to try and get younger people into trade unions and it's to get everyone into a trade union. With numbers we have more power. And it's a great campaign to get involved in. So people have seen the campaign coming up on ads, when they're watching videos with their kids.  It's great to see that it's nationwide,” said Chris.

Fórsa branches are organising events in hospitals, schools, offices and colleges. Several branches have organised joint events with other unions in their workplaces, including with the INMO, SIPTU the INTO and the AHCPS. These joint events are designed to celebrate and mark the on the ground organising done in workplaces by members.

Trade Union Week is part of Better in a Trade Union, an all-island campaign which aims to ensure that all working people are aware of the benefits of being in a trade union, and the strength you have when you’re part of a collective.

Fórsa national secretary and ICTU Vice President Katie Morgan said: “Trade Union Week will be a celebration of unions and union members, and it provides a perfect opportunity to talk to your colleagues about all the reasons they should join Fórsa.”

“Recent Red C research has told us that 44% of workers aged between 18-34 who are working but aren’t already in a union are interested in joining a union. We need to speak to all workers about the benefits of being in a trade union and how they could transform their workplace collectively.”

Fórsa’s Youth Network will host an event in Dublin on Mayday, Wednesday 1st May. The event will feature a panel of young workers in the trade union movement, including Katie Morgan, ICTU Vice-President and Head of Fórsa’s Services and Enterprises Division, Maeve Richardson, ICTU Youth Vice-Chairperson, Hazel Nolan, Fórsa Strategic Change and Eoghan Fox, President of the Galway Trades Council and Mandate NEC member. It will be chaired by Isabella De Luca, Chair of the Fórsa Youth Network.

To attend you can register here. 

As every year the Dublin Council of Trade Unions will hold its annual Mayday March on the 1st of May. Assembly is at 6.30pm at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, in Dublin 1. More details are available here.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Sam Nolan, a stalwart figure in Ireland's workers movement and keeper of the Dublin Mayday flame, passed away in Dublin recently. His personal journey not only traces a life lived at the forefront of countless collective campaigns spanning seven decades, but it also serves as a testament to the profound impact people coming together can have on shaping history.

Born in 1930, his journey into activism began in the aftermath of World War II when he joined the Irish Workers' League.  During the 1950s as the world boomed Ireland went broke, and Sam became involved with the Unemployed Protest Committee, an organisation famous for its rallies outside labour exchanges, marches carrying home-made black coffins and even going onto elect its own TD.

Throughout the 1960s, he played a prominent role in the Dublin Housing Action Committee. Similar to now, a scarcity of housing was exacerbated by a surplus of vacant properties, with the deliberate dereliction and destruction of parts of the city carried out to make way for gleaming modernist office blocks. The hidden history of the Dublin Housing Action Committee’s tactics of militant mass direct action and squatting still echoes down the corridors of the past to inspire housing activists today. 

Sam's dedication to social causes was matched by his commitment to leftist politics. He played a pivotal role in the formation of the Communist Party of Ireland (CPI), serving as its inaugural Deputy General Secretary after the merger of the Irish Workers League and the Communist Party of Northern Ireland in 1970. Sam eventually parted ways with the party, joining the Labour Party instead. Here, he co-founded Labour Left and contributed significantly to the party's administrative council. His work extended beyond politics as he became a full-time organiser for the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians.

Paying tribute to Sam Nolan’s immense contribution to the labour movement, Fórsa general secretary Kevin Callinan said: “Sam was never one to be afraid of the fray, he was deeply involved in the labour movement all his life. Elected first as the Secretary of the Dublin Council of Trade Unions in 1979, he held the position until the 2010s.  Not only did he ensure that there was an annual Dublin Mayday march, but he was one of the people involved in setting off the chain reaction of motions and collective action that led to the creation of a public holiday celebrating Mayday.”  

Speaking to Dublin Community TV in 2011, remarkably on the eve of his 50th Dublin Mayday march address, Sam described how: "We began to agitate that May Day should become a public holiday, and we passed a resolution at the Dublin Council of Trade Unions. Eventually, we garnered support with resolutions passed by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. In 1993, during a coalition government with Fianna Fáil and Labour, Ruairí Quinn was the Minister for Enterprise and Trade. Eventually, Ruairí Quinn enacted an order making the first Monday in May a public holiday."

Speaking in the wake of Sam’s death, President Micheal D. Higgins described how “With the passing of Sam Nolan, the Trade Union Movement, the Labour Movement and the entire Left has lost an outstanding figure who played an important role in so many of the key campaigns of the last 70 years. Sam Nolan combined his activism with a substantial knowledge of, and interest in, the history of the workers’ struggle and the forces with which it had to contend.”

While Sam may have passed, his flame will surely not as the annual Mayday March he was involved in for so many years will once again gather on Wednesday 1st, May 2024 at the Garden of Remembrance.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Last week, members of Fórsa’s Dublin North Health and Welfare Branch met with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) representatives, to present a ten thousand-euro cheque, underscoring Fórsa's enduring commitment to Palestinian solidarity through ongoing initiatives.

The event in Eamonn Ceannt House was organised by the branch’s campaign officer Liz Butler. Chairperson of the Dublin North Health and Welfare Branch, Michael Davis gave an insight into the origins of the event, explaining that  Dr. Liam Corcoran had previously addressed their AGM last February. 

“We are aware of Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and their work throughout the globe but were stopped in our tracks regarding the challenges they face and of course in particular to the appalling situation in Gaza. Notwithstanding the excellent work done through Fórsa's world development programme and the recent massive donation to UNICEF, we felt we had to go the extra mile and extend a helping hand,” explained Michael Davis. 

On the night, Dr. Liam Corcoran, press officer for MSF outlined the catastrophic situation facing the people of Gaza.

“The healthcare system has collapsed. Most of Gaza’s hospitals are out of service, after being repeatedly attacked, besieged, and raided. Patients and medical staff are being killed. Electrical power has been cut off, clean water is scarce, and our teams are treating malnutrition as hunger takes hold. No one is safe in Gaza.”

He went on to explain how Médecins Sans Frontières surgeons, doctors and nurses are working to provide emergency surgeries, wound treatment, medical and maternity care in overcrowded hospitals, health facilities and clinics since 7th October.

“Our teams are offering surgical support, wound care, physiotherapy, postpartum care, primary health care, vaccination, and mental health services, but systematic sieges and evacuation orders on various hospitals have pushed our activities onto an ever-smaller territory,” he said.

He also outlined how in the West Bank, the organisation’s teams are providing medical care and mental health support in hospitals and through mobile clinics in response to an increase in violence and movement restrictions.

Palestinian solidarity work has a been a constant focus of Fórsa’s global solidarity work. In October 2023, Fórsa donated €100,000 to the UNICEF Gaza Crisis Emergency Appeal. This was a decision of the national executive. 

At the union’s Global Solidarity International Spring School in March, the Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland, Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid, received a warm welcome at Nerney’s Court, where nearly one hundred union activists from across the country gave her a standing ovation, as she addressed the ongoing war on Palestine and the relentless bombardment of Gaza.

Our Skills Academy provides training and development opportunities for our members. Take a look at our upcoming training below.

Lunch and Learn on Financial Resilience Friday 26th April

This month’s instalment of our Lunch and Learn online trainings will be on the topic of Financial Resilience. These lunchtime webinars are designed to share information on a wide range of topics beneficial to members, activists, and representatives. Taking place on the last Friday of every month from 1pm-2pm, each session deals with a different topic.  

This month’s session will be led by Conor Henry, project coordinator and trainer with the Financial Resilience Training Programme at TASC. The hour will focus on day-to-day money management and will cover topics such as budgeting and saving, managing debt, utility costs, and identifying support services.

If you wish to attend the Lunch & Learn session and haven’t registered, please contact Judith in the Skills Academy before 12.00pm Friday 26th April to receive the link. Email skillsacademy@forsa.ie 

Fórsa 101 information session Wednesday 8th May

With six divisions, 87,000 members, hundreds of branches, and thousands of workplaces, Fórsa can seem byzantine to newcomers. Fórsa 101 is a short information and awareness raising session designed to welcome new members and give them a good understanding of how the union works, as well as highlight how members can become more engaged with the union locally. 

This session is targeted at members who have never received any training previously or are not currently active within the union but want to be.

Fórsa 101 is 2 to 2 1/2 hours long and delivered online. The next sessions are Wednesday, 8th May 2024, with sessions available in the morning (9.30am-12pm) or evening (6pm-8.30pm). To register fill out this form. 

Launch of Fórsa’s new Mentoring Programme Thursday 16th May

The Fórsa Skills Academy are excited to announce the launch of our new Mentoring Programme. After a short pilot which ran from February to April this year, the programme will be officially launched during Biennial Conference, at a fringe event in The Brehon Hotel, at 1pm on Thursday 16th May.

The event will feature mentors and mentees sharing their experiences. Speakers with outline future plans for the programme, as well as explaining how branches and workplace representatives can participate in it.

The Brehon is located next door to the INEC where conference is taking place, and lunch will be provided for attendees. If you wish to attend the launch of Fórsa’s new Mentoring Programme, register by filling out this form. 

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

Since 2008, branch activists and staff members of Fórsa have pedalled to the union’s biennial conference in a tradition that has served a dual purpose: promoting physical activity while raising vital funds for charity. 
 
Over the years the event has raised nearly €260,000 for various causes, including cancer research, mental health initiatives, and suicide prevention projects. This achievement is the result of concerted efforts across all levels of the organisation, including contributions from branches, conferences, and support from the National Executive Committee.

This year the cycle will kick off in Limerick, departing from the South Court Hotel at 8.30am Wednesday 15th May, aiming to arrive in Killarney in time for conference registration. A van will be arranged to transport participants’ bikes from Dublin to Limerick and back to Dublin after conference.
 
In 2022, the cycle covered approximately 115 kilometres and raised an impressive €26,805. This was distributed among four deserving charities: Let’s Get Talking, Limerick Treaty Suicide, National Centre for Youth Mental Health, and Suicide or Survive, with each organization receiving €6,701.25. 
 
Fórsa staff Michael Kerrigan, Donna Mooney and Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird are organising this year’s cycle. They urged members to get involved, saying: “This is not a competitive race, it’s all about taking part and doing your bit for a good cause. It would be great to have at least one person representing your branch.”

“It’s a fun cycle, and you don’t have to do the whole cycle to take part in the event. You can share a bike and do 5-10km, or more. You won’t be left behind as we will all arrive at the conference venue at the same time- it’s all for a good cause,” he said.
 
This year branches who wish to donate to a nominated charity in their own area can do so if they are registered. All monies collected will be divided equally among those charities nominated. 
 
For further information, contact Donna Mooney or Michael Kerrigan at 01 817 1500 or email Diarmaid Mac a Bhaird at dmacabhaird@forsa.ie.

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.

General Secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) Owen Reidy has called on Government to act and implement the Automatic Enrolment Retirement Savings System Bill as a matter of urgency. 

Speaking ahead the commencement of the Dáil debate on the Bill earlier this month, Owen called on politicians from all parties and none to “get the bill done.”

“Another generation of workers cannot be allowed to have their income and living standards plummet in retirement. It is vital that 2024 is the year when we get the pension auto-enrolment bill done and finally bring an end to our failed voluntary approach to pensions saving. It is long overdue. Ireland remains the only OECD country not to operate auto-enrolment or similar pensions saving scheme,” he said.

By law, employers are required to provide their employees with access to a personal retirement savings account (PRSA) if they do not provide an occupational pension scheme for their employees. There is no obligation on the employer to make a contribution. 

The latest Pensions Authority activity figures show a decline in the number of workers with an occupational pension, at a time when more people are in employment than ever before. A recent CSO report on pension coverage shows that 1 in 20 employees with a pension had a PRSA only.
 
“Given that the State pension is paid at a flat €277.30 a week, workers without the income top-up from retirement savings - two-thirds of today’s private sector workers - are exposed to a significant drop in their normal living standards in old age,” he continued. 

The ICTU General Secretary remarked that the introduction of auto-enrolment in the UK in 2012 has been an extraordinary policy success, as the proportion of employees with a workplace pension has jumped from 47% to almost 80%.

“We welcome the provisions in the Bill for a worker representative on the board and to consider expanding auto-enrolment to younger, lower paid and self-employed workers and death in service cover - all of which Congress called for at pre-legislative stage – within five years of automatic enrolment coming into operation for the first 800,000 eligible employees.”

“But we strongly call for the seven-year deadline provided for in the Bill for setting minimum contribution rates into existing pension schemes to be shortened. It will be a bitter pill to swallow for workers who find themselves with a lower or, in cases of personal pensions, no employer contribution all because they had proactively taken steps to save for their retirement prior to auto-enrolment,” he said. 

Mr Reidy said that politicians have been talking about introducing a mandatory pay-related pensions saving scheme for “longer than they have been talking about the pension age.”

“Now that we are finally within touching distance of making a meaningful difference to hard-working people’s retirement, it is imperative that all politicians work together to get the legislation passed,” he said. 

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.  

On Wednesday May 15th in Dalymount Park, Dublin an historic friendly match between the Palestinian women’s national team and Bohemian FC women’s team. Tickets are on sale from the bohemians website. 

Over 200 days of horror have unfolded for the people of Gaza. Over the months Irish people have showed solidarity as best they can attenidng protests and fundraising. This football match presents another opportunity to do that. A large turnout at the match would show the Palestinian team that Irish solidarity is not wavering.

The Palestinian Ambassador to Ireland Dr. Jilan Wahba Abdalmajid said: “I am very proud to welcome our women’s football team that will be playing in Ireland for the first time in its history. Thank you to the Irish people and thank you Bohemian FC.”

Tickets for the game (adult €40, concession €20) will cover the visit of the Palestinian team and delegation, with the remainder will be split between charities Palestine Sport for Life, Medical Aid for Palestinians and Aclaí Palestine.

Those who cannot attend but who wish to make a donation or purchase a non-attendance ticket for this fundraiser can do so on the bohemians website. 

Matt Devaney, President of Bohemian FC said: “We want this to be a very special few days for the Palestinian team visiting Ireland. We hope the public get behind our efforts to raise a substantial sum to assist and highlight the plight of people in a truly dire situation.”

There’s never been a better time to join a union, and it’s never been easier. Join Fórsa today.