Irish schools likely to close for 24-hr strike in DAYS with warning for parents as work to rule begins over pay dispute

SCHOOLS across Ireland look likely to close later this month as teachers participate in a 24-hour strike due to a dispute over public servants’ pay.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) has confirmed teachers will join co-ordinated work-to-rule action on Monday.

And it confirmed some schools may not be able to supervise children outside of school hours next week due to industrial action by its members.

Meanwhile, the Irish Independent has reported that notices sent on a school messaging system to some parents said closures are likely on October 14 due to the planned work stoppage.

But the notice said this would only be confirmed once more details become available.

Speaking on RTE’s Morning Ireland today, the Assistant General Secretary of the INTO said teachers won’t supervise kids before or after the official school day.

Máirín Ní Chéileachair said teachers are contracted to supervise the children during the school day, their break at around 11am and their lunch break.

However, some schools also use the Croke Park hours – an allocation of hours they complete outside of the school working day of five hours and 40 minutes – to provide extra supervision before and after school.

But she said this will no longer be facilitated in those schools.

She said: “In schools where teachers are using their Croke Park hours to take in children into the schoolyard and supervise them at 8.30am, that will stop.”

Ms Ní Chéileachair said the responsibility for the safety of children on the school grounds is that of a school’s Board of Management.

She explained: “Every board of management who uses Croke Parkers, where [they] are used to do the supervision, have been told to carry out a safety assessment or risk assessment and if it’s not safe for children to be dropped without supervision, then they must inform the parents that the school cannot be opened until school officially starts.

Other activities that take place during the school day, such as matches or swimming lessons, and voluntary activities that teachers do outside of school hours will not be affected.

Ms Ní Chéileachair said teachers want the Government to enter into pay talks “in good faith”, adding that its the first time in 17 years that teachers have balloted for industrial action.

She said INTO has “not done this lightly”.

In a letter yesterday, senior union leaders warned Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers that there is “currently no basis for us to engage in a negotiation”.

Kevin Callinan and other union leaders on the ICTU public services committee wrote: “Notwithstanding the headline pay figures and comparison with inflation that you have cited, members assess the position through their ability to meet everyday costs following a prolonged inflationary shock.

“Public service workers, like many others across the economy, have seen their incomes fall behind prices in recent years and have been facing renewed pressure in 2026.

“That is the practical reality underpinning this dispute.”

The letter welcomed the Minister’s indication that the door remained open for talks but said the union is concerned by “the characterisation of unions’ efforts to address cost-of-living pressures at the outset to talks as a pre-condition”.