State offices, schools close as hundreds take to picket lines

Schools across Meath were closed, hospital cover was reduced to Christmas Day levels and a variety of government services, including the Teagasc farm advisory service and Meath VEC, remained closed yesterday (Tuesday) as part of the national public service strike. Primary and secondary school students stayed at home as second-level teachers mounted pickets at schools around the county and primary teachers picketed the Department of Education offices in Johnstown, Navan. All offices of Meath County Council were closed to the public as a result of the industrial action by public sector unions while an out-of-hours telephone service was available for emergencies only. The offices of the HSE, the OPW, Meath VEC, the Court Service and Teagasc offices were closed yesterday, although Teagasc staff provided some contingency cover in the interests of animal welfare. The scheduled sitting of the Circuit Court in Trim was cancelled because of the industrial action and resumed this morning (Wednesday). All non-emergency hospital procedures at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, and throughout the country were cancelled on Monday and yesterday (Tuesday). Procedures which required admission to hospital did not take place on Monday in the lead up to yesterday's strike and all outpatient clinics scheduled for yesterday were postponed. Hospitals contacted their patients by letter, telephone and, in some cases, SMS text messages to advise them of services and procedures affected by the industrial action. According to the HSE, appointments will be rescheduled as soon as possible. The emergency department and ambulance service at Our Lady's Hospital, Navan, operated a limited service similar to Christmas Day levels and all swine 'flu vaccination clinics were also closed. Intellectual disability services and care of the elderly services were exempted from the strike by the nursing unions. John Regan of SIPTU in Navan said they had up to 600 members striking yesterday, including members working for the HSE, local authority workers, OPW staff, Teagasc, VEC and community school staff. He said workers had agreed contingencies to respond to emergencies as they arose during the course of the day. He said there were only protest demonstrations in the case of care of the elderly with most staff working as normal and home helps were not affected by the dispute. "It is regrettable that it has come to this, but we have to put pressure on to show our anger and discontent," he said. Rosemary Fahy of the INTO in Navan said primary school teachers picketed the Department of Education offices in Johnstown and wanted the whole issue of public sector pay to be looked at more equitably. According to Kevin Gaughran of the CPSU, all the Department of Agriculture offices in the county, as well the social welfare and Revenue Commissioners offices and the Courts Service offices, were closed as pickets went on them at 8am yesterday morning until 5pm. Mr Gaughran said the day of protest was part of the union's campaign against the pension levy and plans by the Government to attack members' pay further in the forthcoming budget.