First national strike by nurses in 20 years includes pickets at Naas Hospital
ABOVE: Nurses and supporters at Naas General Hospital. Photo: Ben Kelly.
A strike by almost 40,000 nurses and midwives who are members Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation begins at 8am in a long-running dispute over pay and staff shortages.
Pickets are taking place outside hospitals across the country including Naas Hospital.
A further five 24-hour strikes have been scheduled over the coming fortnight, with the Psychiatric Nurses Association due to start an escalating campaign of industrial action tomorrow.
The Government insisted that demands by nurses and midwives cannot be afforded and would undermine the public finances amid the economic risks from Brexit.
Picketing outside Naas Hospital
From 8am, most of the INMO's 37,000 members headed for the picket line - the union's first national strike in 20 years.
The remainder will be delivering contingency plans for emergency care and other high-risk categories.
The HSE said 13,000 patients will have their outpatient appointment cancelled and another 2,000 who were due surgery must stay at home.
Another 10,469 people in the community who will not be visited by a nurse or unable to attend a day centre or clinic because of the shutdown are also victims of the action.
Public health nurses will make an exception for elderly people who need a home visit daily and also for children with complex health needs.
Liam Woods, head of acute services in the HSE, said talks were still under way with strike committees to grant derogations to allow nurses to triage patients coming to A&E.
There are serious concerns that if this is not carried out that seriously ill patients will not be prioritised and missed.
The INMO still insists that staffing challenges can only be addressed with an across the board pay rise, bringing them into line with other graduate health professionals.
The Government is equally adamant that the €300m claim would trigger knock-on claims and undermine economic security as Brexit looms.
It also defended the current terms and conditions of nurses and midwives.
Asked whether the Government will move to penalise INMO members for breaching the public service pay agreement by striking, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said that was under legal consideration.