Minister for Health Mary Harney said yesterday that she was "very concerned" about the ongoing nurses' dispute, which is set to escalate today.
Ms Harney was speaking in Limerick where she officially opened a new €12 million nursing home and retirement village in Newcastlewest.
When asked about the ongoing dispute involving some 40,000 members of the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), Ms Harney appealed to all parties not to put patients at risk.
She refused to say whether or not she believed patient care had been compromised to date, but she said she was "very concerned" by plans to press ahead with work stoppages.
"Obviously, I'm very concerned. I'm particularly concerned for patients and above all else we have to be fair to patients, I would appeal to nurses in the actions that are being taken not to put patients at risk.
"Nursing is a very honourable profession, people go in to nursing to care for patients, so I hope over these few days, as people are planning different actions in different places that patients won't be put at risk and above all else that we are fair to patients," she added.
Ms Harney appealed in particular on behalf of patients with serious illnesses.
"In any disagreement between employers and employees, between Government and the nurses, we have to make sure that patients don't suffer, particularly patients with serious illnesses like cancer, because treatments are planned and those treatments have to go ahead. If they don't, then that could cause serious problems for patients and their families," said Ms Harney.
She urged nurses to use the benchmarking process to air their grievances and insisted that the process would be completed in a couple of months from now.
"Surely we can put our faith in that process that is going to report in a matter of months," she said.
In relation to the hours issue, Ms Harney said no study had been carried out into the effect of taking 7.7 million nursing hours out of the system.
"We need time to assess this and that has not been done to date, so we cannot simply press a green button in relation to hours without knowing what the implications are going to be on the ground," she added.
Despite the current dispute involving nursing unions and general difficulties in the health service, Ms Harney said that she would still like to return as Minister for Health if the Progressive Democrats are returned to government after the general election.
"I'd love to go back to Health. It's challenging and difficult but I love the job," she revealed during her visit to Co Limerick yesterday.
The new care facility that Ms Harney opened, is located on the former site of the Sisters of Mercy Convent.
It will provide 55 beds and 12 independent living apartments, employing some 50 staff.