Civil servants responsible for processing job applications have voted overwhelmingly to boycott a scheme for vetting asylum-seekers.
Executive grade staff in the Department of Justice say they will not handle applications from retired gardai and retired civil servants for temporary posts being created to clear the refugee backlog.
Some retired people who have applied for the jobs are understood to be in their 70s and 80s.
The Public Service Executive Union concluded a ballot of executive grade officers at the Department last night. Members voted almost unanimously not to process the job applications. If people are appointed by other means, PSEU members will not work with them.
The Civil and Public Service Union, which represents clerical grades, has already decided not to co-operate with the scheme. The PSEU assistant general secretary, Mr Tom McKevitt, said last night that his union and the CPSU were willing to discuss the appointment of temporary staff through agreed procedures, but were totally opposed to recruiting retired staff.
The unions argue that such a move would be in breach of existing agreements, would be at variance with agreed procedures for Civil Service recruitment and could end up with inappropriate people being appointed to demanding jobs.