Healthcare assistants vote for strike action in Ireland
Healthcare assistants working in Ireland’s HSE Home Support Service have voted overwhelmingly in favour of industrial action, including strike action, following long-running disputes over pay, rostering and working conditions.
The ballot, counted at Liberty Hall in Dublin, delivered a mandate of over 95%, signalling deep frustration among frontline home-care workers across the country.
Quick snapshot: More than 95% of Irish Health Care Assistants (HCAs) have voted to mandate industrial action, up to and including strikes, over what SIPTU describes as the HSE’s failure to honour national agreements on terms and conditions.
Where and how the vote took place
The ballot was counted at Liberty Hall, Dublin 1, with HSE Home Support Service workers travelling from across the country to attend. HCAs from Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick and Donegal were represented, alongside workers from Dublin and other regions.
Those attending highlighted the critical nature of their work, supporting older people and vulnerable individuals in their own homes. In the HSE south-west region alone, covering Cork and Kerry, there are approximately 1,500 healthcare assistants employed in home support roles.
These are essential workers delivering daily care in the community, often under intense pressure and with limited resources.
Why healthcare assistants are taking action
According to SIPTU, the dispute centres on the HSE’s failure to honour national agreements covering pay, rostering and working time arrangements.
- Underpayments dating back to 2018
- Failure to implement agreed rostering arrangements
- Ongoing breaches of the Organisation of Working Time Act 1997
- Excessive split shifts and inadequate rest breaks
- Continued reliance on contractors, contrary to public service agreements
Union representatives say these issues have contributed to widespread burnout and have negatively impacted both workers and the people they care for.
What unions are saying
Speaking following the ballot, SIPTU Organiser Natasha Linehan Tracey said the union hopes meaningful engagement can still prevent strike action:
“Our members have endured unacceptable working conditions for far too long. Enough is enough. The failure of the HSE to honour agreed improvements in HCAs’ terms and conditions has negatively impacted services, to the detriment of workers and the clients they care for.”
She confirmed that the SIPTU HSE Home Support strike committee will meet shortly to set dates for industrial action, while calling on the HSE to honour its commitments.
SIPTU Organiser Graham Macken echoed these concerns, stating that years of unresolved issues have brought the dispute to this point. He highlighted ongoing underpayments, breaches of working time legislation and the continued use of contractors as key outstanding problems.
SIPTU Sector Organiser Liz Cloherty added that repeated failures to implement Workplace Relations Commission agreements had left workers with no option but to pursue industrial action.
What happens next?
It is understood that SIPTU will formally write to the HSE to give the required 21 days’ notice of strike action. However, some healthcare assistants are expected to begin action sooner.
The Independent Workers Union has confirmed that staff from Dublin’s Northside Home Care Services will commence indefinite strike action on 16 January 2026.
Important: While no national strike date has yet been set by SIPTU, the situation is evolving rapidly, with localised action already confirmed.
Why this matters for community care
Home Support Services are a cornerstone of Ireland’s healthcare system. They reduce pressure on hospitals, support early discharge and allow older people to live independently with dignity.
Any disruption to these services would be felt most acutely by those who rely on daily visits for essential care, particularly older people and individuals with disabilities.
The bigger picture
This dispute goes beyond a single pay issue. It highlights structural problems in how community care is funded, staffed and valued within the health system.
How the HSE responds in the coming weeks will determine whether this dispute escalates into widespread industrial action or becomes a catalyst for long-overdue reform in essential home-care services.