It is expected that Thursday’s proposed day of strike action and rallies, which were to be organised by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, will not now proceed.

The final terms of the agreement will be circulated to IDA members shortly and will be considered in the first instance by our National Committee for HSE Dental Surgeons. We will circulate information on the value of the pay increases for each grade separately.

In the coming weeks, all salaried dentists in membership of the IDA will be given the opportunity to vote on the proposals by way of a secret ballot.

IDA Chief Executive, Mr Fintan Hourihan represented the Association’s public service members in over 100 hours of difficult and protracted negotiations at the Workplace Relations Commission in the past month. The proposed new agreement will cost the state over €5.1bn and provides for increases of 10.75% to be paid over two years and nine months including a 2% increase backdated to September 1, 2026. In addition, the IDA secured agreement on behalf of HSE Dentists, Dental Specialists and Dental Consultants that a 1% local bargaining increase is to be paid with retrospection to September 1, 2025.

The increases are as follows: 2% increase from September 1 2026; 1% from April 1 2027; 1% from August 1 2027; 1% from November 1 2027; 1% from March 1 2028; 1% from June 1 2028; 1% from October 1 2028; 1% from March 1 2029 (local bargaining); and 1.25% from March 2 2029.

The IDA was the sole representative body advocating for HSE dentists and also secured a commitment from the HSE to review staffing levels and to consider IDA proposals to simplify recruitment processes. Furthermore, a meeting is to take place this Friday on the proposed restructuring of HSE dental services.

The Association wishes to thank and congratulate all our members who showed great resolve and commitment in recent weeks, including the decision by HSE dentists to embark on a day of strike action in an historic first for the Association. Our efforts on your behalf show that when we stand together and determined, we can achieve real progress for our members.