Planned strike at Oberstown detention centre suspended

A planned strike next week by members of the Fórsa trade union at Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Dublin has been suspended to allow for further talks.

The workers were planning to stage a three-day strike from Monday in an escalation of their dispute over staffing levels.

The action has now been suspended until the end of October following what was described as constructive engagement at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in recent days.

Fórsa had accused Oberstown management and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality of failing to honour an agreement that had been reached at the WRC.

The Department of Children said Oberstown management had upheld the WRC agreement and was continuing to support its implementation in full.

Oberstown has welcomed Fórsa's decision to suspend next week's industrial action.

"This is a positive development and provides important space for the agreed process to continue, including the review by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and the Department of Children, Disability and Equality of the business cases currently under consideration," a spokesperson said.

"Oberstown remains committed to working constructively with Fórsa, the Department and all relevant parties to support the continued review of the business cases and to seek a resolution to the issues in dispute."

"Oberstown's priority remains the safety and wellbeing of staff and the young people in its care, and the safe and stable operation of the campus," the spokesperson added.