Update 7.30pm: BT Ireland has said there is "absolutely no necessity" for industrial action in the emergency call-answering service in Navan.

BT added it understood Conduit Global "had been working very closely with their employees to address their concerns and significant progress has been made in the past three weeks…We are supporting Conduit to make every effort to ensure that this vital service delivers to the highest quality levels, despite industrial action by the CWU."

Update 5.15pm: Workers who answer 999 emergency calls have given notice of a 12-hour strike on the day before the General Election.

The Communications Workers Union (CWU), which represents the workers, has said that to protect the service, the work stoppage will take place only at the Navan 999 centre between 8am and 8pm.

It means the other centres in Ballyshannon, Co Donegal and in Dublin will operate as normal.

The CWU has indicated that it remains open to dialogue with a view to resolving the issues at the centre of this dispute, namely a living wage of €11.50, a fair on-call policy and collective bargaining

Members of the Communication Workers' Union voted by 88% in favour of industrial action at Conduit Global - the company that runs the service.

The company Conduit has criticised the proposed action, saying it has engaged with staff and improved working conditions.

Staff members claim they are being treated like schoolchildren and have to ask for permission to go to the toilet.