Health board workers represented by the IMPACT trade union have called on their employers to sanction special leave with pay for staff volunteering to help with the World Special Olympic Games in Ireland next month.
At the union's health and welfare divisional conference in Tullamore yesterday some 200 delegates unanimously voted in support of the idea.
Mr Dermot Clarke, a member of staff with the North Eastern Health Board, said the success of the games was very much dependent on volunteers.
He said a number of private companies were giving staff paid leave to assist with the running of the games and he felt health boards should do likewise and "see it as an opportunity to make a positive contribution to the disability services".
Ms Adrienne Byrne, a social worker with the South Western Area Health Board, said the health board had originally suggested staff would get paid leave to assist with the games but had changed its mind. "I'd like it back," she said.
She added that volunteers would be putting in long days and health boards should "contribute to the spirit of the games" by allowing staff who volunteered paid leave.
Last week the INO, called for time off with pay for Special Olympics volunteers.