FDA President Fiona Eadie opened proceedings by paying tribute to the phenomenal work of our union reps, both past and present, who work tirelessly to support members and improve their working lives.
We were delighted to also be joined by Brenda King, First Legislative Counsel for Northern Ireland, who told attendees that she’s “always been grateful for union membership and the work the FDA does here”.
In his closing remarks, General Secretary Dave Penman commended FDA members for being “at the front line of delivering peace and prosperity for Northern Ireland”. He also reflected his early career with the union, when Northern Ireland was one of his first patches, saying that he was proud to see how much the union has developed here over the past 19 years.
The event followed celebrations in Westminster as well as Holyrood and the Senedd earlier in the year, recognising the impact of the FDA across the whole of the UK during its 100 year history.
This week, the FDA attended the 2026 TUC Congress in Brighton. FDA delegates spoke to and moved motions on a range of topics, including the review of the civil service, supporting effective management, accountability and safe contracting in the NHS, and the importance of an evidence-led approach to regulation.
Yesterday, FDA staff and reps attended the 2026 Fast Stream annual Base Camp, welcoming this year’s new joiners to the scheme and sharing the benefits of FDA membership with them.
The FDA’s National Officer for Northern Ireland Robert Murtagh has written to Speaker of the Assembly, Edwin Poots, asking him to remind MLAs that when officials appear before the Assembly, impartiality must not be brought into question.
