Nursing unions and the Government to attend formal hearing

The Labour Court has decided it will intervene in the nurses dispute with government over pay and working conditions.

It has invited both the INMO and the government side to attend a formal hearing this afternoon.

It's still unclear if three planned days of strike action by over 40,000 nurses and midwives will get underway tomorrow.

Talks aimed at averting industrial action ended just after 3.00am on Monday morning, following 15 hours of negotiations.

Nursing unions and the Government side spent around 35 hours this weekend briefing the Labour Court.

They arrived for talks at 12.30pm on Sunday, and emerged at 3.00am on Monday.

Nurses want a 12% pay rise but the Government says that is not feasible and would cost an extra €300m a year.

Three days of strikes by members of the INMO and PNA unions are due to begin on Tuesday, which could create chaos in the health service.