Minister Says Strike Can Still Be Avoided; Patients Warn of 20,000 Affected Appointments
With three days to go before Ireland's nationwide public sector strike, a government minister said on 11 October 2026 that one of the biggest strikes in Ireland in recent years could still be avoided. Nurses, doctors, teachers, civil servants and other workers are set to take part in a 24-hour work stoppage on Wednesday, 14 October, to protest the lack of a new public sector pay agreement.
It will be the first wider public sector strike since 2009, at the height of the country's financial crisis. The last pay deal expired at the end of June, and the deadlock between unions and government over the basis for entering talks has prevented substantive negotiations on a successor. A second strike day has been notified for 21 October.
The Irish Patients Association warned the same day that up to 20,000 people could be affected by cancellations and delays across health services as a result of the planned strike action. The association's director, Stephen McMahon, said there would be serious disruption. Hospitals have warned of significant and widespread disruption on the day, with routine procedures cancelled.
On the strike day, schools will close and services from public parks to hospital appointments will be affected. Essential services such as emergency hospital departments will be maintained and public transport will be unaffected, while fire and ambulance services will run a reduced service. Hospitals and schools will each publish their specific arrangements for 14 October.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 都柏林 Mater 医院（Mater Misericordiae University Hospital），DubhEire 摄，CC0（Wikimedia Commons）
