Public Sector Strike Tomorrow: What Is Closed and What Is Still Running in Cork
Public sector strike tomorrow, Wednesday 14 October: routine healthcare cancelled, school closures expected, courts affected. Emergency care continues.
Non-urgent healthcare will be cancelled, schools are expected to close and most court business will be suspended in Cork tomorrow, Wednesday 14 October 2026, as a coordinated public sector strike is set to go ahead. Emergency healthcare will continue, and public transport is expected to operate normally.
As of Tuesday 13 October, the strike remained set to proceed. On Monday 12 October, the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers, urged unions to postpone the strike and enter talks with officials at the Workplace Relations Commission. The unions rejected the invitation, saying it did not change the Government's position.
Healthcare
The HSE is planning for the cancellation of all non-urgent healthcare services across hospitals and community settings. This includes routine hospital procedures, outpatient appointments and community based services, such as day services, clinics in primary care services and other scheduled care services. HSE administrative services will also be affected.
Healthcare teams have begun contacting affected patients directly, and the HSE says all appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible.
Emergency departments will continue, as will ambulance services on a curtailed basis and other critical, time-sensitive care such as urgent cancer treatment and dialysis. The HSE says people who need urgent medical attention should not delay seeking care, and should dial 999 or 112 or go to their nearest Emergency Department. GPs, GP out-of-hours services and pharmacists remain available in the community.
Schools and Colleges
Widespread school closures are expected, and parents should follow their own school’s notice. Nano Nagle College in Farranree has confirmed it will be closed to all students, with classes returning to normal on Thursday 15 October.
Glanmire Community College has also confirmed it will not be open to learners. Its notice says Cork ETB cannot guarantee the health and safety of learners on its premises, as it will not be in a position to ensure their care and supervision. The college reopens as normal on Thursday 15 October.
MTU has said that if the action proceeds, all of its campuses will be closed on 14 October and again on 21 October. Students are asked to attend classes as timetabled except on confirmed closure days. MTU’s Bishopstown, Crawford College of Art and Design, and Cork School of Music libraries have also confirmed that all library services will be suspended on both dates.
IFUT members at UCC are among those taking part in the strike. Cork Safety Alerts has not been able to confirm a UCC notice setting out closures or service arrangements.
Courts, Revenue and Driving Tests
The Courts Service says courts are cancelled and public counter services will not be available, except for emergency domestic violence and childcare applications, Garda applications to remand an accused person in custody, and High Court injunctions to protect life, health, safety or welfare. District Courts are automatically adjourned to the next sitting in the same district unless the judge adjourns to a different day, and all parties will be notified when rescheduled dates are available.
Revenue has confirmed that its phone lines and public information offices in Cork, central Dublin, Galway and Limerick will be closed. Online services, including myAccount and ROS, remain available, and taxpayers and agents are advised to continue filing returns and paying liabilities as normal.
The RSA has cancelled driving tests because of the industrial action, and says affected applicants will be contacted directly and offered a new test invitation as soon as suitable slots become available. Its Customer Care Centre will also be closed on Wednesday 14 October, with urgent queries directed to its Online Support Centre.
Councils and Other Services
Local authority staff are among those taking part in the strike. Cork Safety Alerts has not been able to confirm which Cork City Council and Cork County Council services will be affected.
Who Is Taking Part
The coordinated action involves teachers, special needs assistants, university staff, nurses, midwives, hospital doctors, HSE dentists, health support staff, civil servants and local authority employees. Participating unions include Fórsa, SIPTU, INTO, ASTI, TUI, IFUT, INMO, IMO, Unite and AHCPS.
More than 300,000 public sector workers are expected to take part nationally. Gardaí and Defence Forces members are not participating.
In a statement issued by the Government Press Office on Tuesday 13 October, the Government called on public service unions and associations to enter talks.
Government Press Office statement:
"Pay issues can and should be discussed as a priority alongside other matters as part of the pay talks."
Government Press Office statement:
"Officials remain available today to immediately enter intensive talks with the support of the expert services of the WRC."
A second 24-hour strike is planned for Wednesday 21 October if the dispute remains unresolved.
