Claire Mahon, President, Liam Doran General Secretary and Geraldine Talty, 1st Vice President at the opening of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) Conference in Letterkenny. Pic: Clive Wasson
Nurses across Ireland could strike if the Government presses ahead with its latest planned round of pay-cuts.
More than 350 nursing delegates from across the country have gathered in Letterkenny, for the three day conference.
Both pay and patient care are top of the agenda at the three day conference.
Claire Mahon, INTO President, said there was an appetite for industrial action if members’ pay was cut again.
“Yes, if their pay is cut, definitely, very much so. They are not only feeling frustrated with being short-staffed on the wards but they aren’t high-earners in the scheme of things – an awful lo of them are under pressure in their home lives.
“A lot of them can’t afford to go to work. A lot of that is compounded by the pressure they are feeling in the workplace.
“So yes a lot of them have reached the floor and are very willing to take action,” she said.
Nurses pay has ben cut by an average of 14% in just over three years.
The Minister for Health, Dr James Reilly, will address delegates on Friday at the Mount Errigal Hotel.
General Secretary Liam Doran said delegates will be courteous to the Minister but some said the reception will be “frosty.”
“Delegates will do as they have always done and will listen to what the Minister has to say. I can’t say that it will amount to warm embraces all around but it will be cordial I’m sure.
“We will be passionate in the INTO that the health service has got little protection, political protection in the last five years.
“It has suffered overwhelming attacks and it has always been portrayed as a black hole into which you can pour tax-payers money and never get a return and that’s an insult to all these people here.
“We will be looking for a Minister to come and to tell us where is the floor and when are the cutbacks going to end. I would expect it to be constructive, professional engagement but we are not silly. We are not looking for any disharmony if that can be avoided,” he said.
In total more than 60 motions will be brought before the conference.