Nipsa has been involved in strike action since December

Planning services in Northern Ireland are set to face further disruption as part of a long-running civil service pay dispute.

Some planning staff covering Carrickfergus Borough Council area are to begin fresh action from Friday.

They will join members of the public service union Nipsa in the Ballymena area who began industrial action on Monday.

However, staff at offices in Omagh and Belfast are due to return to work on Friday.

Last week, the government offered Nipsa what it called a "take it or leave it" pay deal in an attempt to end the 38-week long dispute.

Finance Minister Ian Pearson warned that the revised pay deal could not be increased.

Nipsa said it would have to consult its 20,000 members before any offer could be accepted.

A three-week consultation period is under way but Nipsa has said its civil service executive committee would be urging members not to accept the pay offer and to vote for an all-out indefinite strike.

Cost of living

Nipsa has said that strike action affecting the DoE Planning Service and the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development will continue during the consultation period.

Selective strike action is continuing to hit the province's planning services and grant payments to farmers.

Earlier this month, industrial action was suspended at 15 Northern Ireland MoT centres where workers were on strike since mid-May.

Nipsa has been involved in strike action since December over what they said was the government's refusal to give civil service staff any cost of living increases in rates of pay since April last year.