A leading SIPTU member has accused the Minister of Social Protection of burying her head in the sand over concerns regarding the tendering process for contracts to run programmes that assist people in getting back into employment.
SIPTU says it allows private companies to bid for these State contracts and claims this could lead to the "wholesale privatisation of local employment services" if the tendering process proceeds as planned.
It also warns that this will "force out effective community-based, non-profit providers of local employment services".
SIPTU and Fórsa held a protest this afternoon outside the Monaghan Town constituency office of Minister Heather Humphreys to highlight their "opposition to plans to privatise essential community services".
John King is a Deputy General Secretary with SIPTU, and speaking outside the Minister's office, he called on her to "engage" with the stakeholders:
