Fórsa said last night (Wednesday) that it was seeking details of proposed childcare arrangements for essential health staff, which were announced by children’s minister Katherine Zappone in the Dáil yesterday.
The union said it had so far received no information about the proposed arrangements, despite repeatedly seeking a solution to the issue of childcare provision for essential health staff since schools and crèches were closed on 12th March.
Fórsa, which represents over 30,000 health workers, said it had repeatedly asked the Government either to make direct childcare provision available to essential staff, or to meet the additional costs incurred by individuals who have been making their own childcare arrangements since schools and crèches closed.
The union added that the minister’s offer of provision for 5,000 health staff fell short of the HSE’s own assessment that at least 7,000 of its staff needed immediate support. Fórsa also said it wanted to know what measures would be put in place if the department’s ‘voluntary’ scheme failed to deliver the necessary provision.