The Department of Agriculture and Food confirmed yesterday that more than 250 staff have been removed from the payroll in the dispute over promotional vacancies, write Sean MacConnell and Chris Dooley.
Members of the Civil and Public Service Union at a number of local Department offices began industrial action last month.
The dispute began in Department offices in Mayo, Galway and Limerick and spread last week to Clonakilty, Co Cork, the home town of the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh.
Union members in other centres have voted to join the dispute, which for a time disrupted the slaughter of cattle at local abattoirs. The dispute deepened when the Minister amended the regulations covering the movement of animals for slaughter.
A Department spokesman confirmed last night that the numbers taken off the payroll have now risen to over 250.
He said payments to farmers had not been affected and animals were being slaughtered at local abattoirs as normal.
Union members claim there is a lack of promotional opportunities in the Department's 30 local offices.
The Department denies the union's claim that staff in its local offices are three times less likely to be promoted than civil servants elsewhere, but admits that promotional opportunities within such offices are limited.