The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is describing its boycott of the Health Service Executive (HSE) new graduate recruitment scheme as a "total success".

A call for members to ignore the scheme resulted in the deadline being extended.

It hoped to hire 1,000 nurses at 80% of the current starting salary.

Opposition to the scheme "regrettable"

That deadline runs out today and the INMO is protesting outside HSE headquarters in Dublin to mark the event.

The INMO has also held a 'Boycott the Nurse Graduate Scheme' conference recently.

Last week the Health Minister James Reilly described the continued opposition to the scheme as "regrettable".

Liam Doran is General-Secretary of the INMO.

He says the success of its campaign is bittersweet and that another extension will not change their minds.

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