Strikes shut down the country
Summary
This episode covers Ireland's largest public sector strike in 17 years, featuring 300,000 workers demanding better pay amid a cost-of-living crisis. Reporters from Cork, Dublin, and Galway highlight the disruption to schools and hospitals, with special focus on the impact on students with complex needs. Interviews with teachers, nurses, and parents reveal frustration over stalled negotiations and housing unaffordability, while community reactions to the service closures remain mixed.
Topics discussed
Introduction to the nationwide public sector strike
Report from St. Killian's Special School in Cork
Teachers discuss the dilemma of striking vs. student routine
Deputy Principal on pay, housing, and government engagement
Parent reactions to uncertainty and childcare challenges
Report from Harrell's Cross in Dublin on primary school strikes
Union ballot results and government response to pay demands
Report from University Hospital Galway on healthcare strikes
Nurses on cost of living, housing, and patient care concerns
Staff on burnout, staffing shortages, and emigration trends
Analysis of healthcare workers' frustration and long-term outlook
Primary teacher on the cost of living crisis and 'normal workers'
Teacher challenges government claim that pay talks are open
Personal impact on teachers and parents missing school days
Listener text on teacher summer jobs and pension contributions
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