The Labour Court is expected to make a recommendation in the next few days on a dispute which is threatening to delay the opening of the planned new amalgamated maternity service in Cork.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) and health service management yesterday made presentations to the Labour Court on the issue of staffing levels at the new €75 million Cork University Maternity Hospital.
The facility, on the Cork University Hospital campus, is scheduled to open later this month.
The INO's industrial relations officer for the area, Patsy Doyle, said that in its presentation, the INO had sought the implementation of an independent review which recommended that there should be 383 trained midwife posts in the new unit.
Ms Doyle said this was recommended for dealing with 7,000 births a year, but she added that the three hospitals, which are to be merged, were dealing with more than 8,000 births a year.
The Health Service Executive has proposed that there should be 304 midwife posts, as well as 64 student midwives.
Meanwhile, nursing unions held talks with health service management yesterday on their claim for improved pay and conditions. All parties agreed to prepare position papers in advance of a further meeting tomorrow.
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