Fórsa’s Health and Welfare division has raised its concerns with the HSE on the continued use of recruitment agencies to fill positions within the health body, and the union’s growing alarm at the failure of management to adhere to agreed recruitment practices.

Fórsa and other health unions have once again pressed senior health officials for definitive timelines regarding outstanding payments to workers due under the Building Momentum Pay Agreement.

Fórsa has called on the Minister for Health to establish a high-level forum to rapidly progress the statutory regulation of psychologists as a matter of urgency.

Fórsa members at the Louth County Group of hospitals have backed industrial action, up to and including strike action, due to staff shortages across the hospital group. A meeting took place between Fórsa and hospital management yesterday (Thursday).

A senior delegation of Fórsa travelled to Washington DC last week for a seven-day visit, during which they had a series of meetings with US unions and political and employer representatives.

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU) has issued a response to the Government's publication of a proposed overhaul of the jobseekers benefit system which could change the payment structure to make it directly proportional to the recipient’s previous earnings.