LAST UPDATE | 10 Oct

THERE WILL BE no Dáil sitting on Wednesday as more than 100,000 public sector workers prepare to take part in a nationwide strike over pay.

The Dáil’s Business Committee met this afternoon and agreed to adopt a two-day sitting schedule next week, with proceedings taking place on Tuesday and Thursday.

Business requiring a vote on Wednesday is expected to be brought forward to Tuesday instead.

The decision comes amid uncertainty over whether Leinster House will be able to open at all on Wednesday.

It is understood that only a small number of staff, around six or seven, would be available to work at Leinster House that day.

The Oireachtas Service had sought exemptions, known as derogations, from strike action for key staff to allow the Dáil to operate as normal.

However, unions Fórsa and the Association of Higher Civil and Public Servants (AHCPS) refused requests for derogations covering key Oireachtas staff.

Fórsa represents parliamentary ushers, who are responsible for security, and parliamentary reporters, who produce the written record of proceedings.

The development comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin declined to say on Friday whether he would cross a picket line outside Leinster House.

Martin argued that there was no need for a picket at the Oireachtas, saying that “parliamentary democracy matters”.

A number of opposition parties had said they would not cross picket lines.

Social Democrats TD Cian O’Callaghan said welcomed the decision to cancel the Dáil sitting on Wednesday, saying that the government “has seen sense and has climbed down”.

“The Taoiseach’s initial reaction to the prospect of a picket outside the Oireachtas on Wednesday was condescending and contentious,” O’Callaghan said.

“He seemed to think the Oireachtas would be immune from strikes, but the Oireachtas needs public sector workers to function too.

“Now that the government has seen sense on this issue, they should take the next logical step and make a credible offer on pay to public sector unions so they can get around a table and have talks.”

More than 100,000 public sector workers are expected to take part in Wednesday’s strike, which unions have described as the largest of its kind since the financial crisis in 2009.

Schools are set to close, while hospitals have warned of significant disruption to non-urgent services.

The industrial action follows the expiry of the Public Service Agreement in June, with unions and the government yet to agree a replacement pay deal.

A second day of strike action is planned for 21 October.

Additional reporting from Christina Finn and Jane Matthews