Evelyn Ring, Irish Examiner, February 21, 2006

The head of the National Maternity Hospital has apologised for upsetting foreign nurses allegedly threatened with repatriation if they did not agree to sign contracts which would result in loss of earnings of €26,000.

Commenting on claims by the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) that 16 general nurses from India and the Philippines had been told their visas would be cancelled if they did not agree to train as midwives, Dr Michael Robson said: “If anything like that happened, we would need to address it as soon as possible.” ... Hospital

Ireland On-Line, February 20, 2006

Minister for Health Mary Harney has planned an investment in community medical care to take the pressure off A&E departments.

It follows claims from doctors and nurses groups that public patients are attending hospitals because they do not have access to a local doctor.

The Irish Medical Organisation claims this is because less GPs are unwilling to continue out-of-hours work for little pay. ... Harney

Ireland On-Line, February 20, 2006

The Department of Health has said that a claim for better pay and working conditions lodged by nurses would cost the taxpayer an estimated €1bn.

The claim is due to be thrashed out between the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and officials from the Health Service Executive at the Labour Relations Commission shortly.

The wide-ranging document, lodged by the INO, includes claims for a 35-hour working week, an allowance for nurses working in Dublin and parity with childcare workers for the country’s 33,000 nurses. ... Rise

Ireland On-Line, February 20, 2006

Minister for Health Mary Harney has described the Irish Nurses’ Organisation proposals for a new pay deal as unrealistic.

Talks are due to begin between health employers and the INO over the €1bn deal to improve pay and conditions for nurses.

The INO is seeking a shorter working week for nurses, as well as basic pay increases and allowances for those working in Dublin. ... Harney

Ireland On-Line, February 18, 2006

The INO has condemned what it claims is the intimidation of overseas nurses from the Philippines and India by management at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street in Dublin.

The nurses are understood to have been provided with new contracts upon arrival in Ireland just over a fortnight ago, which would effectively result in a loss of some €25,000 each, over two years. ... INO

Catherine Shanahan, Irish Examiner, February 18, 2006

The Irish Nurses Organisation is investigating claims that 17 overseas nurses were threatened with repatriation unless they signed contracts which would have resulted in loss of earnings of up to €26,000 each.

According to the INO, the 17 nurses from India and the Philippines were offered contracts far different to what they had agreed to in their home countries, after they arrived here. ... INO

Ireland On-Line, February 14, 2006

Nurses at one of the country’s top hospitals today warned the number of patients awaiting beds had reached intolerable levels with some on trolleys for eight days.

The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said staff were unable to cope with 63 patients on trolleys in the A&E Department of Tallaght Hospital, and another 12 in the day ward also awaiting beds at the one time.

“Some of these people are chronically ill. People who will maybe spend the last days of their lives on those trolleys, it is just sad,” Dave Hughes, general secretary of the organisation, said. ... Nurses

Ireland On-Line, February 7, 2006

Nursing staff at Cork University Hospital will meet management today in a bid to resolve the A&E crisis which saw more than 30 people waiting for beds on trolleys over the weekend.

Figures from the Irish Nurses Organisation revealed 35 people were waiting to be moved to a ward, with only one nurse looking after them. ... Nurses

RTE, January 19, 2006

Nurses at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee have voted in favour of industrial action over staffing levels.

There are around 500 nurses employed at the hospital.

However, the Irish Nurses' Organisation claims another 80 nurses are needed.

More than 90% of INO members at the hospital voted to take industrial action.

A spokesperson for the HSE said a review of staffing levels at the hospital had already been agreed and was due to begin on February first.

It is understood that no action will be taken before a meeting scheduled for next Monday between union leaders and hospital management. ... Tralee

u.tv, January 19, 2006

Nursing staff at Kerry General Hospital have voted in favour of a work-to-rule. The action was backed by 92% of the voters. However the union has said it is reserving its position until it meets with the network manager of the HSE on Monday. The Irish Nurses Organisation said the facility is severely under-staffed and warned that a safe level of care cannot be guaranteed.

Evening Echo, January 19, 2006

The results of a ballot on industrial action among nurses at Kerry General Hospital are expected to be known later today. The ballot is expected to return an overwhelming vote in favour of industrial action over staff shortages at the hospital. The action is expected to take the form of a work-to-rule protest. The Irish Nurses Organisation has been complaining for some time that a serious shortage of nurses in Kerry is putting both staff and patients at risk.

RTE, January 19, 2006

The contentious issue of theatre nurses' rosters and on-call arrangements at Limerick's biggest hospital is being referred to the Labour Relations Commission. It follows a meeting between the Health Service Executive, the Irish Nurses Organisation and SIPTU. Last week, a row erupted between HSE management and nurses over what the executive described as 'irregular and indefensible' work practices by theatre nurses at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital. Other issues which have been of concern to nursing unions, such as management of the theatres and non-nursing duties, are to be the subject of an independent external review.

Limerick Post, January 19, 2006

As a record number of patients lay on hospital trolleys this week, the A and E crisis at the Mid-Western Regional Hospital is to be exacerbated further by news that the hospital is to be fined over one million euro for failing an efficiency test.

32 patients were awaiting beds in A and E this Tuesday, when the hospital learned that it will now have 1.02 million euro taken from this year’s budget, as part of the performance related system known as Case-mix. ... A and E

Jeremy Laurance, Belfast Telegraph, January 19, 2006

The financial crisis gripping the NHS is deepening and hitting patient services, with operations cancelled, appointments deferred and wards closed, according to two reports published today.

NHS managers are struggling to reduce ballooning deficits that have swelled to £1.2bn. Managers have been freezing jobs, cancelling training and cutting up to 4,000 posts, the Royal College of Nursing says. ... NHS

IOL, January 18, 2006

Sinn Féin TD Seán Crowe has said the Táinaiste and Minister for Health Mary Harney has failed to grasp the fundamental issues at the heart of the crisis in our hospitals.

Deputy Crowe, speaking after the Irish Nurses Organisation revealed that a record 422 patients were on trolleys said: "What is needed is a capital investment programme for our hospitals to provide more beds and additional staff." ... Woman