All-out national strike hit Cavan and Monaghan

Hospitals, schools, councils and Government offices face widespread disruption

Public services across Cavan and Monaghan face widespread disruption today (Wednesday, October 14) as thousands of public sector workers join an all-out national strike, with unions mounting pickets at workplaces across the country in a dispute over a new public service pay agreement.

The 24-hour stoppage involves more than 300,000 workers nationally, including teachers, healthcare staff, civil servants and local authority employees, following the expiry of the previous public service pay agreement on June 30.

Unions have accused the Government of failing to make meaningful commitments on pay, while the Government has called for negotiations to proceed without preconditions.

The national action marks a major escalation from the work-to-rule measures introduced on September 30, which required participating staff to adhere strictly to their contractual duties and withdraw cooperation with certain new working practices.

The work-to-rule will remain in place beyond today's strike.

Health services

Healthcare services are among those expected to experience significant disruption as union members withdraw their labour for the day.

The action affects Fórsa members working in the HSE, Tusla and Section 38 organisations, with services associated with Cavan General Hospital, Monaghan Hospital and the wider community and primary-care network potentially affected.

Hospital appointments, outpatient clinics and other scheduled services may be cancelled or postponed, while healthcare providers prioritise emergency and other essential care. Patients are advised to check directly with their hospital or service provider regarding appointments before travelling.

The extent of disruption will depend on staffing arrangements and the essential services maintained during the stoppage.

Schools and education

Schools across the two counties are also affected as teachers and other education workers join the national strike.

Members of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) and other participating education unions are taking part, alongside Fórsa-represented staff, including special needs assistants.

Councils and public admin

Local government services are also expected to be affected.

Council offices and services involving administration, housing, planning, customer support and other functions may experience reduced capacity or temporary closures, depending on staffing and local strike arrangements.

Government departments and State offices across the region are shut too because of the civil service strike. These include Department of Social Protection services, such as Intreo, and regional offices of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, alongside other Government departments and agencies employing participating staff.

Public-facing services, telephone lines and administrative functions may be unavailable or operating at reduced capacity.

Online services may remain accessible where they are not affected by the industrial action.

Progress on pay

The strike follows weeks of escalating industrial tension after the previous public service pay agreement expired at the end of June.

Unions have argued that the Government has not provided a sufficiently clear commitment on pay to allow meaningful negotiations to begin. They say workers need assurances that a new agreement will address the impact of rising living costs and protect earnings.

The Public Services Committee has also scheduled a further national strike for Wednesday, October 21, increasing pressure on the Government to make progress towards a new agreement.

Renewed engagement

The Department of Public Expenditure has expressed disappointment at the scale of the disruption and urged unions to engage in negotiations.

The Government's position is that meaningful progress requires both sides to participate in constructive discussions without preconditions.

Ministers have pointed to funding allocated in Budget 2027 for a new public service pay agreement and have called on union leaders to reconsider further industrial action.

Union representatives, however, maintain that the absence of a meaningful commitment on pay remains the central obstacle to progress.