Public sector workers to strike today

Thousands of lower-paid Government employees will stage a walk-out today as they hold their first one-day stoppage in the deepening row over the controversial pension levy.

Some 13,000 civil and public servants will strike, forcing welfare and passport offices to close and leaving other state services short staffed.

The Dáil, Seanad and Oireachtas Committees will sit as normal as staff have been redeployed.

Workers are incensed over plans to target them with a 6% levy designed to boost Exchequer pension funds while agreed pay increases have been deferred.

Blair Horan, general secretary of the Civil and Public Services Union, said that lower paid employees cannot afford the levy.

"Targeting the lower paid while top bankers get off scot-free is just not on," he said.

"Lower-paid CPSU members got no bonanza from the Celtic Tiger but instead suffered an explosion in rents and house prices along with increased childcare costs.

"They have had enough, and won't be singled out for a pay cut."

All social welfare local offices will be closed to the public, larger offices will also be affected along with helplines.

The Department of Social and Family Affairs said every effort will be made to ensure payments are not hit, although it warned there may be some short-term delays.

The department makes 1.3 million weekly welfare payments, including benefits to jobseekers, one-parent families, widows and pensioners.

An Oireachtas spokesman said: "The Oireachtas has put in place a number of redeployment arrangements to ensure its business can continue as normal.

"Sittings of the Dáil, Seanad and the Committees will take place as scheduled."

Senator Ivana Bacik, Independent Dublin University Senator, today issued a statement of support for the CPSU staff on strike at Leinster House.

“On principle, and out of solidarity with the CPSU staff including many colleagues who are on strike today for one day, I will not be passing the picket that has been placed on Leinster House.”