Schools likely to close amid strike action on October 14

Parents are being warned about a possible strike

A further day of action is planned for the 21st of October. Picket lines are expected across the country.

The strike is the culmination of months of futile negotiations on public sector pay. On their website Fórsa, one of the main unions involved, said "there are currently no talks taking place" with the Irish government.

They said dialogue with state employers has been held up by the "government's unwillingness to address cost-of-living measures at the start of any negotiations".

Notices were sent on the school messaging system Aladdin that closures are likely on October 14th due to a planned work stoppage.

Under the strike action, formal parent-teacher meetings cannot be scheduled outside school time, as teachers will work-to-rule from Monday, joining other public servants like SNAs. A one-hour work stoppage will take place the same day at some third-level institutions between noon and 1 pm.

The third-level institutions affected are Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin, University College Cork, Maynooth University, the University of Galway, Mary Immaculate College, Educational Research Centre, Royal Irish Academy, and Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies.

Senior union leaders warned Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers in a letter on Thursday that there "is currently no basis for us to engage in a negotiation”.

“Notwithstanding the headline pay figures and comparison with inflation that you have cited, members assess the position through their ability to meet everyday costs following a prolonged inflationary shock,” said the letter from Kevin Callinan and other union leaders on the Ictu public services committee.

“Public service workers, like many others across the economy, have seen their incomes fall behind prices in recent years and have been facing renewed pressure in 2026.

“That is the practical reality underpinning this dispute.”