Talks will take place later aimed at averting a major nurses strike at the country's main hospitals.

The INMO union says their members will hold rolling two hour work stoppages in protest at overcrowding.

If the action goes ahead 7 hospitals will be affected including Beaumont in Dublin, next Thursday the 14th of January.

The HSE and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation will both attend the discussions at the Workplace Relations Commission today.