ieExplains: Why are there strikes in Northern Ireland?

Ulster Teachers Union member and teacher at Ballyclare Secondary School, Linda Millar, with her son Ed on the picket line outside the gates of the Stormont Estate, Picture: Liam McBurney/PA Wire

Large sections of Northern Ireland's public sector workforce are on strike on Thursday after last-ditch talks between the main political parties and the UK government collapsed.

Major rallies are being held in a number of cities across the country as a result.

Here, we break down exactly what's going on and why.

What is happening in Northern Ireland?

Around 150,000 public sector workers are taking part in strike action.

Bus and train services have been halted, with a large number of schools closed and major disruption across the health service in Northern Ireland beginning on Thursday.

Belfast, Derry, Enniskillen and Omagh are all seeing major rallies, with workers standing out in sub-zero temperatures.

Why are they striking?

A total of 16 trade unions are involved in the action - and it all comes down to pay.

The unions note that wage increases that are being delivered in the other UK countries have not been seen in Northern Ireland.

The starting salary for a teacher, for example, in Northern Ireland is £24,137 (€28,100), but it is far below the £32,317 (€37,644) rate in Scotland.

Teachers in both England and Wales start with salaries of £30,000 (€34,945).

The situation is similar for bus and train drivers and nurses.

Why aren't politicians intervening?

A major factor in the lack of pay structures comes down to the current political situation in Stormont.

In the May 2022 general elections, Sinn Féin topped the polls, winning 27 seats compared to the DUP's 25, meaning that Sinn Féin would nominate the First Minister and the DUP the Deputy Minister.

However, the DUP have refused to do so since then, saying they have issues with post-Brexit trading.

As such, power-sharing has not been restored - despite several attempts from the UK government, including offering a £3.3bn (€3.8bn) financial package, which would've included £600m (€700m) to resolve the pay issues.

The UK's Northern Ireland secretary Chris Heaton-Harris has claimed he doesn't have the power to release the money without Stormont returning.

How long is the strike going to last?

On this occasion, it is a 24-hour strike - but unions have said there may be future pickets.