Oberstown director calls for ‘ceasefire’ in staffing dispute

What the Oberstown director is asking staff to do

Damien Hernon warned on Sunday that the industrial action, taken over concerns about safe staffing levels, “has the potential to lead to more risk” at the centre.

Fórsa union members have backed industrial action up to and including a full withdrawal of labour.

The union says workers have previously reported “assaults on staff and injuries requiring hospital treatment in circumstances where staffing levels were stretched”, and it insists safe staffing remains a live concern for its members.

Oberstown said it and the Department of Children had engaged “extensively” with staff representatives, including through the Workplace Relations Commission.

Hernon urged workers to “step this down” so resolutions can be progressed, and warned that relationships between staff at the campus could “become irreversibly damaged” if the dispute drags on, according to The Journal.

“Step this down” so resolutions can be progressed, Hernon said, warning the industrial action “has the potential to lead to more risk”.

Oberstown added that it remains “fully committed to working constructively towards a resolution”.

The dispute lands at a time of sustained pressure across Irish children’s services, with figures earlier this summer showing thousands of children in emergency accommodation.

With the Workplace Relations Commission already involved, the next move rests with Fórsa members.