Hundreds of end-of-year planning applications will be delayed due to a work to rule by planning staff.
The action begins on Tuesday and will affect applications in Dublin, Dun Laoghaire, Fingal, South County Dublin, Cork and Longford.
Staff will refuse to do a number of jobs, including service council meetings, use telephones, faxes or e-mails, communicate with the Department of the Environment and Local Government, or co-operate with the "Christmas list" of planning applications - the yearend backlog usually cleared by drafting in planning staff from other sections. Co-operation on extending time limits on applications is also being withdrawn.
The action is over proposals to abolish the post of city and county planner.