Patients attending the Emergency Department at the region’s main hospital are facing long waits, as the second day of strike action by nurses continues.
Nurses and Midwives from the region’s six hospitals are among 37,000 nationally who have taken to the picket line in a row over staffing levels and pay.
Hospital appointments have been cancelled and injury units are closed, adding to already high volumes of patients attending the ED at Dooradoyle.
And as nurses march on picket lines, Clare Junior Minister Pat Breen has called for both nurses and the government to enter into talks.
Nurses and midwives at the region’s six hospitals, including Ennis General and University Hospital Limerick, have joined their colleagues at the picket line for the second time today.
The impact of their action is being felt by patients throughout the country.
Here, all planned daycase and inpatient surgical procedures have been cancelled, as well as the vast majority of outpatient appointments.
The Injury Units in Ennis, Nenagh and St John’s hospitals are also closed.
This is having a knock-on impact on waiting times in the ED and CEO of the UL Hospitals Group, Colette Cowan is urging people to consider all their care options before attending there.
Both nurses and the government remain poles apart in their positions, and a government offer of talks last evening was rejected out of hand by the INMO.
Nurses are now expected to ramp up their action, with further strikes planned for Thursday and next week.
Assistant Director of Nursing at Ennis General Hospital Joe Cassidy, is a member of the Strike Committee there.
Denise Shanahan is one of the nurses on the picket line at Ennis General Hospital.
She says they’re willing to do what it takes to get their message across.
And now one government representative says there is a need for talks between both sides.
Speaking on Clare FM’s Morning Focus, Clare Fine Gael Junior Minister Pat Breen called on both nurses AND the government to enter into negotiations.
