Courts across the country close as public service strike halts hearings

Picket at the courthouse on Anglesea Street in Cork City this morning. Picture: Larry Cummins

Court hearings throughout the country that were scheduled for today have been cancelled due to the public service strike and courthouses are closed for all business with the exception of specific urgent and exceptional matters.

Derogations are available from unions where it is not possible for an arrested person to be released from a garda station on station bail. 

In such circumstances a member of staff is to be made available as registrar to sit with the presiding judge deciding the issue of bail.

Staff are also to be made available in the family court if it is deemed essential to make an urgent child care application. Similarly, urgent applications for orders under the Domestic Violence Act are also to be facilitated.

Otherwise court buildings are closed with no other business taking place. 

For instance, a murder trial taking place at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork was adjourned until October 15, with no hearing taking place today.

Picketing at Anglesea Street courthouse 

Anglesea Street is one of Cork’s busiest locations for picketing today with public service staff from Cork City Council, the fire service, non-Garda clerical staff of An Garda Síochána and Courts Service staff all taking to the picket lines from one end of the street to the other.

David Power of the Courts Service said of their part in the industrial action: “We don’t underestimate the stress and disruption to some of the most vulnerable people in society who come before the courts. 

“As public servants we take our responsibility to the public seriously and this action has not been taken without careful consideration.

“Inflation is running at 4% and staff only got a 2% pay rise in 2026. 

“It is not about us trying to get additional funding for the Courts Service. 

“This is about supporting all people in both the private and public sector. 

“In particular we are looking for a pay increase for ourselves that is above the rate of inflation. 

“The public sector are just as affected by the cost of living as the private sector. 

“The media sometimes portrays a public versus private scenario, but that is not the case. We are all in it together.” 

In the busy district courts, lists have been adjourned en bloc in courthouses around the country because of the unavailability of Courts Service staff, due to the one-day strike.

At Cork District Court, all custody cases listed for today have been re-listed for tomorrow. 

In respect of non-custody cases, the list before Court 1 was adjourned to Thursday, October 22 at 10:30am. 

The non-custody Court 2 list was adjourned to Tuesday, October 20 at 10:30am. 

In Youghal District Court, custody matters will be listed in Cashel District Court on Thursday October 15, while non-custody matters were adjourned to Youghal District Court on Wednesday October 28.

Fermoy State Appeals, listed for today in Cork, will be called over in Macroom on October 20.

Probation offices are also closed. 

Up to 50 staff at the probation office at Cove Street in Cork took to the picket line with appointments for service users put into alternative dates. 

Supervised work at community service sites – such as those involved in the removal of graffiti - at several locations in Cork city are not going ahead today because of the strike.