Environmental health officers are considering taking industrial action because they say they are frustrated at the lack of clarity about their role and who they should report to under new health-service structures.
There are just over 500 environmental health officers (EHOs) in the State and if they strike, a range of services they provide - including spot checks on licensed premises to ensure they comply with the smoking ban and inspections of hygiene standards in premises serving food - would be disrupted.
Ann Marie Part, chairman of the Environmental Health Officers' Association, said yesterday there appeared to be confusion about the role of environmental health officers, with suggestions in the Dáil earlier this week that they should be inspecting hygiene standards in hospitals and picking up the presence of superbugs such as MRSA.
EHOs had no statutory role in this regard, she said, adding that their role in hospitals only extended to food safety.
"Our members are extremely frustrated. We still do not know what our reporting relationships are under these new structures."