The Oireachtas is preparing for “pretty big disruption” over the next two weeks, with two days lost to strike action. 

Although Budget 2027 contained €1.2 billion for a new public sector pay deal, some 300,000 public sector workers are still due to take part in the industrial action. 

While unions have argued that the Government should come to the table with a more “meaningful” offer. 

On Newstalk Breakfast, Political Correspondent Seán Defoe said many Oireachtas staff who feel they have no choice but to strike. 

“They are paid by the Oireachtas and not by the actual politicians themselves or even the political parties,” he explained. 

“That kind of applies across the board; I think the Government thought that there would be a bit of a derogation for the Oireachtas, in the way there was a derogation for public sector workers who were working on the budget. 

“As it turns out, there wasn't and TDs on the opposition said, ‘Well, we're not going to pass a picket.’” 

Leinster House. Picture by: Alamy.com. 

Given few opposition TDs planned to be in Leinster House, it was decided that it would be much better to cancel Dáil business. 

However, it was a decision that the Government made extremely reluctantly. 

“The Taoiseach hasn't used the word ‘ridiculous’, but he's kind of said it is a bit ridiculous that the national parliament is subject to all of this as well as everything else,” Seán said. 

“It is dealing with legislation, it is dealing with the important business and is the voice of everybody in the country because your elected TD, the person you put your faith in, is now not able to go and do their job on Wednesday.

“Effectively, it's a 33% cut in the Dáil business of this week and potentially again next week, because I can't imagine a scenario if there is another strike next Wednesday where this doesn't happen again.”

Seán continued that it means “pretty big disruption”, given it will delay Oireachtas Committee hearings and votes on legislation.

Main image: The Dáil Chamber in Leinster House. Picture by: Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland