The latest efforts to avert a strike by the country’s nurses have ended without a resolution.
Talks took place earlier between the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) and the HSE to try and reach agreement on issues surrounding pay and conditions.
The unions say they were not presented with concrete proposals and, as the situation currently stands, the strike action will go ahead.
However, another meeting between the sides is planned for next Monday.
Phil Ní Sheaghdha, general secretary of the INMO, said: "We will continue to make every effort to avert a dispute - but, for the moment, nothing we heard here today brings us to that space... so preparations for strike continue."
Talks between nursing unions and HSE lasted 90 mins. PNA says it’s members won’t be happy with today’s discussions. INMO says this dispute can be avoided but the strike stands unless it gets concrete proposals. Meeting again Monday
— Shane Beatty (@ShaneBeattyNews) January 15, 2019
The INMO has scheduled the first of six nationwide, 24-hour strike days for January 30th.
The union has also warned there will be further strikes on February 5th, 7th, 12th, 13th and 14th if the dispute goes unresolved.
The dispute centres on staffing in the public health service.
It says the HSE has not been able to recruit and retain enough nurses and midwives on current wages.
The INMO says the number of staff nurses fell by 1,754 (6%) between 2008 and 2018.
The PNA, meanwhile, is planning a three-day stoppage from February 12th, which will coincide with action by members of the INMO.
This decision followed the rejection by the PNA of proposals made within the Public Pay Commission report in September.
PNA members will not be available to work overtime on January 31st, February 1st, 5th, 6th and 7th.
Members will then strike on February 12th, 13th and 14th if there's no resolution to the dispute.
Reporting by Jack Quann, Shane Beatty and Stephen McNeice
