Dear Member,
 
Earlier this year, our Branch began reaching out to find out what issues matter to you, in an effort to increase our engagement with members.
 
From conversations with colleagues, union meetings and our Fingal staff survey it became clear to our branch that the effects of staff shortages was of particular concern to members.

In fact, in our survey over 64% of you said that you had experienced issues related to staff shortages. During the course of our conversations many of our colleagues told us the impact this was having and how they had personally worked above and beyond to provide services and cover shortfalls due to staffing issues.
 
With this in mind, we began engagement with management on the development of Fingal's new Workforce plan (SWFP) in early 2025.

Through this process we ensured that your voice was heard, advocating for a commitment in the SWFP to an increase in staffing numbers. In our discussions with management our branch proposed that these increases should be frontloaded in areas where the need was greatest - such as the Housing section, where we know our colleagues are putting in exceptional effort to keep up with the demand.

As Branch Chair, I am pleased to announce that contained within the workforce plan are 102 additional posts, many of those to be placed within the Housing Department as well as other areas across the Council.

This would not have happened without the efforts our members made to ensure their voice was heard and that these issues were recognised. By participating in meetings, completing surveys and speaking to colleagues you have contributed towards this fantastic result for our members. 
 
While this is a considerable achievement, we know that there is much more work to do. Our branch will continue to work towards fostering an inclusive and supportive environment in Fingal where all members of staff feel equally empowered and valued.
 
Kind regards,
 
Geraldine Whelan, Chair Fingal Fórsa Branch