Urgent talks called for as majority of Northern Ireland’s teachers and around 16,000 civil servants due to go on strike on same day

To prevent “damage being heaped upon damage” Independent MLA Claire Sugden has said the Government needs to “find more money” for education and finance departments.

Meanwhile DUP MP Carla Lockhart was hopeful strike actions could be averted as it has been in other sectors across the UK.

East Londonderry representative Ms Sugden called for urgent talks and political action to avoid the strike action on April 26 planned by both the majority of NI’s teachers and around 16,000 civil servants who are NIPSA union members.

She said the decision was indicative of the wider issue of funding across all Executive departments: "These needed to be resolved so that children’s futures and public services were unaffected

“The situation facing all our Executive departments is extremely serious and becoming more so.

“Our education system, children, their teachers and all staff need more support, not less, and their strike action shows that teachers feel they have run out of options.

“They are now being joined by a huge number of civil servants who have seen stagnation in their wages and a real terms drop in the money they have to live on.”

She added: “Our civil servants – essential workers who keep the country running at all times – are showing they too have simply had enough.

“Serious and honest attempts to find more money for the education and finance departments, and for our teachers and civil servants, must be made by central government in the absence of an Executive in Stormont.

“Efforts must start now and start making real progress soon. We cannot see damage heaped upon damage to our public services and the people, especially children, they serve.”

Upper Bann MP Carla Lockhart said, “There has been some progress across the UK in reaching agreements on strike action. Strike action within the health sector in Northern Ireland has also been postponed as talks take place.

"We want to see a resolution to other disputes in the education sector and there is a need for serious engagement from the Secretary of State and for the inadequate education budget to be tackled.”