Overview
- INMO and SIPTU members began a 24-hour walkout at 8am with pickets at clinics in Carlow, Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny and Clonmel.
- The HSE says €647,000 was allocated and paid to Caredoc and has convened mediation from 10am, calling passing the funds to workers the simplest resolution.
- Caredoc says out-of-hours GP services will close from 6pm to 9am in six counties, including south Wicklow, with no emergency cover and advice to use 999 or hospital emergency departments for urgent needs.
- Unions seek implementation of the 2023 WRC pay deal for Section 39 staff, while Caredoc urges a suspension on humanitarian grounds and contends a €3.2m funding shortfall makes the 8% increase unaffordable.
- Further stoppages are planned on December 23 and 27, a 48-hour strike from December 29–30, and January 2, with unions warning of up to 10,000 lost clinical consultation hours.