The head of the Irish Nurses' Organisations has expressed her disappointment in the Minister for Health's handling of the A&E crisis.
Speaking on RTE's This Week programme, Madeline Spiers said there was merit in the 'no confidence' motion to be put to delegates at the INO's annual conference later this week.
Ms Spiers said the INO had welcomed the fact that the State's second most powerful politician had been given the job of addressing problems in the health service when Ms Harney took office some 18 months. But she said the motion of no confidence was a reflection of the strong feelings that people working with patients have over the ongoing situation.
She said members were particularly hurt and upset over Ms Harney's comments earlier this year that delays and cancellations experienced by patients at Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick was due in some measure to the working practices of nurses and midwives there.
Ms Spiers said nursing staff were "absolutely waiting to move forward and have an enhanced role in the health service". She condemned as "ridiculous" current practice that prevents experienced A&E nurses from ordering x-rays or even writing up an order for panadol without having to refer to a doctor.
She said enormous changes were necessary for nurses to embrace the new roles they wanted to undertake.