Hospitals are warning of potential disruption to services once they get back up and running later.
Yesterday, 37,000 nurses walked off the job and onto the picket line.
The industrial action ends at 8am, but there is no sign of any breakthrough in the dispute over pay and working conditions.
The HSE has said there may be a surge in patients in emergency departments today – as people who stayed away yesterday attend for treatment.
While contingency arrangements were put in place yesterday, 25,000 patients had their appointments cancelled.
Meanwhile the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is due to hold two more strikes next week.
The union has announced plans for five more stoppages in total.
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Wonderful pics of our paediatric nurses at Temple Street today, standing together united and proud.
A big shout out to all our amazing paediatric nurses nationwide, standing with us today and every day.#standwithnurses #standwithmidwiveshttps://t.co/ua8qW23Ea7 pic.twitter.com/w8gd8a9bG4
— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) January 30, 2019
Contingency
Liam Woods, HSE Director of acute operations, said contingency planning for the further strikes will begin today.
“We expect that we will be back to full staffing levels, s owe will be in position to cope better with the surge,” he said.
“But it does look like the messages that have gone out about only attending emergency departments if absolutely necessary are working.
“We will be getting into discussion with the INMO in terms of the potential action next Tuesday.
“Following that, we will be advising hospitals in terms of elective work for next week.”
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Here's the drivers' view of the picket at St. James' in Dublin pic.twitter.com/fsduboRiwj
— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) January 30, 2019
Overtime ban
Separately, the Psychiatric Nurses Association said its 6,000 members will refuse to work overtime today and tomorrow.
The union says its members have been left with no option but to engage in industrial action - in pursuit of better pay and conditions.
Peter Hughes from the PNA said the union has had no realistic offers, aimed at resolving the dispute, from the HSE.
“Nurses have been forced into this position,” he said.
“We do not want to strike; we don’t want to be withdrawing goodwill – but unfortunately there are no meaningful proposals coming forward from the employers to resolve this issue.”
INMO nurses arrive at the picket line at the Mater Hospital in Dublin, 30-01-20191. Image: Leah Farrell/RollingNews
The INMO dispute is centred on pay issues and working conditions within Irish hospitals – which unions have warned are causing the recruitment and retention crisis in the health service.
Nurses are demanding pay increases of about 12%.
