Clare’s Independent TD is accusing the government of failing to engage with frontline medical staff, as we face into a possible series of nurses’ strikes.
Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation will not work for 24 hours on the 30th of January, in protest against an ongoing row over pay and conditions.
There’s also five more days planned for February if it isn’t resolved, as Clare FM’s Fiona McGarry reports:
Late last month, the INMO voted by 95% in favour of taking strike action in an effort to bring their long-running dispute to a head.
The union is demanding a 12% pay rise – the government, meanwhile, has committed to bumps of between 6.4% to 7.2% until 2020.
But the number of nurses nationally has fallen by 6% in the past decade, which the INMO is blaming on poor pay and staff conditions.
Clare’s Independent TD Dr Michael Harty, who’s chair of the Oireachtas Health Committee, says this is causing retention issues and is accusing the government of burying their heads in the sand.
A Clare member of the HSE’s Regional Health Foru, meanwhile, feels nurses are perfectly entitled to the pay rise they’re seeking.
Sixmilebridge Independent Councillor PJ Ryan hopes a deal will be struck soon.
But despite this, the Irish Patients Association is warning that no one should be used as a pawn in the nursing dispute.
Spokesperson Stephen McMahon says the industrial relations process needs to begin with a matter of urgency because if strike action goes ahead, it will ultimately be the patient that suffers.
Talks are due to be held between the HSE and nurses next week.
The first scheduled strike is three weeks away.
