Irish public sector unions suspend strike action

Public sector trade unions in Ireland have agreed to suspend planned strike action following government intervention and the announcement of independent mediation. The decision follows a week of industrial action involving over 300,000 workers, which resulted in school closures and the cancellation of thousands of hospital appointments.

To resolve the dispute regarding wages and working conditions amid rising living costs, the government is appointing an independent third party to establish a basis for formal negotiations. Kevin Foley is expected to lead an intensive exercise at the Workplace Relations Commission to facilitate these talks.

Kevin Callinan, Chair of the ICTU Public Services Committee, noted that progress was made following discussions with Taoiseach Micheál Martin. While unions have welcomed the move toward dialogue, they emphasized the need to test whether the government’s willingness to listen translates into a fair pay deal in practice.