UK strikes affect North transport, schools and medical services

Public service strikes in the UK today are having a knock-on effect on travel here.

The 24-hour action - which began at midnight - is disrupting cross border services in particular, with Translink downing tools for the day.

Bus Éireann have cancelled half their cross border services today while Iarnród Éireann is cancelling all its cross-border services and Dublin-Belfast services will only operate to and from Dundalk.

The UK border agency is also affected, impacting on international airports in Britain.

The North's entire public transport system will come to a halt, while hospitals and schools also face disruption.

More than 200,000 workers across the province will take industrial action in protest at public sector pension cuts, with representatives also objecting to wider Government spending reductions.

The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance, representing members across the civil service, will alone have more than 45,000 workers on strike and stage 160 pickets.

All of the North's 1,200 schools face disruption to transport and catering services, and with most of the teaching unions striking, it is likely that a majority will be forced to close their doors.

In the health sector, emergency services are to be maintained and GP services and ambulances will be kept running despite disruption caused by industrial action.

The private sector has been critical of the day of action, but assistant general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Peter Bunting defended the strikes.

“I think today is necessary because the public sector workers, and workers in general, are facing in many cases very, very serious reductions in their terms and conditions of employment,” he said.

“And it will impact on the quality of life of everyone.”