FÁS workers to march on Parlon’s offices in Dublin

Workers at FÁS head offices in Dublin are due to march today on the offices of the minister overseeing the decentralisation scheme.

The agency's staff have been engaging in a series of work stoppages to highlight their situation and are due to march on the offices of Junior Minister Tom Parlon in Dublin as part of their campaign.

The Government wants to move 400 FÁS staff to Birr, Co Offaly, as part of its decentralisation plans, but SIPTU says very few staff are interested in the move.

It has also accused FÁS of breaching the voluntary nature of the scheme by limiting promotions to employees who are willing to relocate.

SIPTU has also warned that the situation could spread to other state agencies as only 2% of workers are in favour of moving to new locations around the country.

The union wants the Government to remove these agencies from the decentralisation plans.