Talks are taking place in Dublin today aimed at averting the planned strike by nurses and midwives.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) will meet the HSE at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) in an effort to reach agreement in a row over pay and recruitment.
The first 24-hour strike scheduled for this day next week, with five more days of strike action planned for February if the dispute continues.
After a meeting earlier this week, the INMO said they've yet to receive any proposals to resolve the situation.
We met the HSE and Department of Health today.
It was a deeply disappointing meeting. They made zero (0) proposals to resolve this dispute.
Sadly, planning for the strike in 9 days continues.
We have also referred them to the Workplace Relations Commission.
— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) January 21, 2019
General Secretary of the INMO, Phil Ní Sheaghdha, says that contingency planning on patient care will continue right up to the first strike date on January 30th.
She said: "We've spent a lot of time meeting the HSE, and we have confirmed that we will provide life-preserving services."
On the subject of today's talks, she observed: "We believe there is ample room within the public service stability agreement to reach an agreement.
"We believe that that focus has to be brought to bear today when we meet the employers and government representatives at the WRC."
The INMO says low levels of pay have left the public health service unable to recruit and retain enough nurses and midwives to safely care for patients.
However, the Government insists there's already a public pay deal in place.
It claims that reaching a separate deal with nurses would lead to pay claims from other public sector workers.
