School strikes and work-to-rule

Strike days

No strike days are announced for secondary schools.

Called off: Wednesday 21 October 2026. Schools are expected to open as normal.

Check with your school too: a few may open if their staff aren't taking part. Get a notification the evening before.

Work-to-rule now

Special needs assistants (Fórsa), since Wed, 30 September

• Support in class carries on.
• SNAs won't attend training or student planning meetings, or help with clubs, tours or open days.
• SNAs have been told not to supervise students without a teacher present.

Source: Fórsa: education FAQs

Secondary teachers (ASTI), since Mon, 5 October

• Teachers have stopped their Croke Park hours: the extra meetings and events schools count against 33 hours a year.
• Teaching carries on as normal. Ask the school which evening events are affected.

Source: ASTI: industrial action 2026

Secondary teachers (TUI), since Mon, 12 October

• No open nights, information evenings or extra parent-teacher meetings that a school counts as Croke Park time.
• The three formal parent-teacher meetings a year go ahead.
• Teachers won't answer emails, calls or messages outside their timetabled hours, including breaks and free periods.

Source: TUI directive · TUI: Croke Park hours FAQ

How long it lasts

There's no end date. The ASTI and TUI directives apply until further notice, and Fórsa's until its executive decides otherwise.

Sources: TUI directive, October 2026 · ASTI: industrial action 2026 · Fórsa: education FAQs

What changes day to day

Work-to-rule means staff do what their contract requires and nothing extra. Schools stay open and timetabled classes carry on. For secondary teachers it mostly means stopping their Croke Park hours: 33 hours a year that schools use for extra meetings, events and planning outside class time.

Sources: TUI: Croke Park hours FAQ · ASTI: industrial action 2026

Teachers

• No changeClassesSchools open as normal and timetabled classes go ahead.Source: TUI: Croke Park hours FAQ
• Check with your schoolOpen nights and information eveningsWhere a school counts an open night or information evening as Croke Park time, TUI teachers have been told not to attend, and not to move it to another date. If you're choosing a school this autumn, check the event is still on.Sources: TUI directive, October 2026 · TUI: Croke Park hours FAQ
• No changeParent-teacher meetingsThe three formal parent-teacher meetings each year go ahead. Extra ones that a school counts as Croke Park time don't.Source: TUI: Croke Park hours FAQ
• ChangedEmails and callsTUI teachers won't reply to emails, calls or messages outside their timetabled hours, including before classes, at break and in free periods, and won't use personal phones or accounts for school work. Expect slower replies.Sources: TUI directive, October 2026 · TUI: emails and calls FAQ, 12 October
• ChangedStaff meetings and trainingStaff meetings and training counted as Croke Park time are off, so some planning and whole-school events may be delayed.Source: TUI: Croke Park hours FAQ

Special needs assistants

• No changeSupport in classSNAs work as normal in class.Source: Fórsa: education FAQs
• ChangedPlanning meetings for your childSNAs won't attend student planning meetings while the action lasts. If one is due, ask the school how it will be handled.Source: Fórsa: education FAQs
• Check with your schoolSupervision without a teacherSNAs have been told not to supervise students without a teacher present. If your school relied on SNAs for some supervision, ask what has changed.Source: Fórsa: education FAQs

Checked 16 October 2026. Each school applies this a little differently, so your school's own notes come first.

What you can do

• If you're going to an open night or information evening this autumn, check with the school that it's still on.
• Expect slower replies to emails and calls, and send anything urgent to the school office during the school day.
• Ask how the school will tell you about any changes to parent-teacher meetings or other events.
• If your child has SNA support and a planning meeting is due, ask the school how it will be handled.

Get a notification the evening before strike days.

Questions parents ask

Are schools closed on strike days?

Most secondary schools close when teachers strike. Some may open if enough staff aren't taking part, so check your school's text or app the day before.

What does work-to-rule mean for my child?

Schools stay open and timetabled classes go ahead. Teachers have stopped their Croke Park hours, so some evening events, extra meetings and open nights may not happen, and replies to emails can be slower.

What about special needs assistants?

SNAs keep supporting students in class. They won't attend training or planning meetings, or help with clubs and other extras, while the action lasts.

How long will the work-to-rule last?

There's no end date. It continues until the unions call it off, and we'll update this page when that happens.

Will sports and activities run on a strike day?

Usually not if they need teachers, as teachers on strike don't take part in extra-curricular or co-curricular activities that day. Check with the school or club.

Earlier strike days

• Wednesday 14 October 2026: Teachers (ASTI and TUI), special needs assistants (Fórsa) and other public service unions