Ireland’s threatened nationwide public-sector strike – which had raised alarms about passport processing and immigration offices – was cancelled in the early hours of 11 November after Government negotiators and trade-union leaders struck a deal worth at least 10.75 % in pay rises by 2029. Talks at the Workplace Relations Commission concluded around 03:30, with Fórsa’s Kevin Callinan confirming that planned 12 November walkouts by 400,000 workers would not proceed. For global-mobility teams the climb-down is a relief. The Passport Service, Immigration Service Delivery counters and Garda National Immigration Bureau offices had contingency rosters in place but warned that emergency passports and IRP renewals would have been limited to urgent humanitarian cases if the stoppage went ahead. Airlines had also begun briefing crews on potential queues at Dublin and Cork airports. Under the deal, staff receive a 2 % or €1,200 back-dated rise for 2026, with further staged increases through March 2029. A robust review clause allows either side to reopen talks if inflation spikes or the economy contracts, addressing union concerns about cost-of-living pressures. The agreement still requires member ballots but unions have suspended all industrial action pending ratification. Companies should nevertheless expect residual disruption today as picket plans are dismantled. Mobility advisers recommend monitoring appointment-booking portals for sudden release of cancelled slots and preparing for a short-term surge in passport and IRP applications deferred during the strike threat.
Source: The Irish Times
