The work of the High Court and Supreme Court faces disruption from Monday because of industrial action by court clerks. Initially, the clerks will refuse to issue summonses by computer or common law and chancery motions. Bail application appeals from the District Courts will also be "blacked", along with work associated with two clerical posts which are currently vacant.
The dispute is over an attempt by the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform to introduce new promotional procedures. In a move to defuse the situation yesterday, the Department sent a letter to IMPACT, the court clerks' union, giving details of the new system.
It proposes replacing the present system, which is based on a combination of seniority and interviews for specific posts, with a procedure whereby all court clerks in the superior courts can apply in writing to fill promotional vacancies.
IMPACT, which represents the 32 court clerks involved, is not opposed to the vacancies being filled in the traditional way. Its assistant general secretary, Mr Peter Nolan, says that the union is also prepared to review existing procedures, but that this can only be done through full consultation with the union. He warned yesterday that the union had a mandate to escalate its industrial action to a full-scale strike and that this could happen very quickly.
The superior courts still have three weeks to run before the summer break and vacation sittings during August could also be affected by the dispute. The cases most at risk are those close to the limit imposed by statutes of limitation.