Both sides in the nurses' dispute, which is due to escalate to include work stoppages at three hospitals tomorrow, said yesterday they were prepared to enter talks to try to find a resolution.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) said it was willing to engage with the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses' Association (PNA) to seek a way to break the current impasse.
The nursing unions also said they wanted talks to take place, and while there was still no sign of fresh negotiations between the parties last night, the more conciliatory tone adopted by the HSE may be an indication that settlement talks could be scheduled.
The HSE's statement came within hours of the unions announcing that members would stop work tomorrow for one hour from 11am until noon at St Vincent's hospital, Dublin; South Tipperary General Hospital in Clonmel; and in the south Tipperary mental health services, including St Luke's Psychiatric Hospital in Clonmel.
Last night, Fine Gael called on nurses to suspend industrial action until after the general election, saying the escalation of their dispute would put patient safety at risk.
The work stoppages in the acute hospitals will lead to some elective surgery being cancelled, while in the mental health services it could lead to appointments for those due to attend addiction services, as well as outings for patients in St Luke's Psychiatric Hospital, being postponed.
The unions confirmed that, in the absence of talks, there would be further work stoppages on Friday, when other hospitals will be affected. Details of these are to be announced tomorrow.
INO general secretary Liam Doran said emergency cover would be provided during the stoppages. "Longer work stoppages will inevitably occur in the absence of negotiations," he added.
The nurses are seeking a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour working week in place of the existing 39 hours.
Mr Doran said the hour-long stoppage was to minimise disruption to patients and maximise disruption to managers. "It doesn't show a lack of resolve," he insisted.
Meanwhile, a work-to-rule by about 40,000 nurses across the State continues. Under this, INO and PNA nurses are not dealing with non-essential telephone calls or carrying out clerical or IT duties.
Mr Doran said it would continue for as long as was necessary, and accused management of "mud slinging" against nurses in recent days.
Séamus Murphy, industrial relations officer with the PNA, said it was strange management had made no attempt to try to hold talks with the unions over the weekend.
Brendan Mulligan, assistant chief executive of the HSE employers agency, indicated last night that while benchmarking was the way forward for pay increases, the HSE would be prepared to discuss further cutting working hours for nurses.