SIPTU says it's now 'very likely' that 10,000 HSE support staff will go ahead with planned industrial action on Thursday.

Talks aimed at preventing them from going on strike broken down this evening at the Workplace Relations Commission.

The row over a job-evaluation scheme and pay grades was being discussed between SIPTU, the HSE, and the Department of Public Expenditure.

SIPTU's Paul Bell says chefs, porters and healthcare assistants will now almost certainly strike on Thursday.

He said "we are disappointed that it has come to this, but the Department of Public Expenditure attended the talks today with the Health Service Executive, and put little or no proposals forward to even defer the dispute so we can progress the matter".

He added, "there will be some discussion about a limited amount of contingency, but that would have to be agreed locally as identified as required."