Nursing unions threatening industrial action in Accident and Emergency departments will meet the Minister for Health and Children today.
The Federation of Irish Nursing Homes, meanwhile, says its members have empty beds which could be used to free beds in hospitals - but it says the Department of Finance will not provide funding for the beds.
Both the Irish Nurses' Organisation and SIPTU are balloting their members on industrial action over conditions in crowded A&E departments.
The INO has outlined a series of two- and three-hour strikes to begin on March 13th. The INO general secretary, Mr Liam Doran, said there had been "little or no response from management" since industrial action was announced last week.
The INO blames much of the difficulties in A&E on local managements, which it accuses of "inertia and lethargy" in addressing the problem. It criticises consultants for being unwilling to give up elective beds to accommodate patients from A&E - an allegation rejected by consultants' unions.
The Federation of Irish Nursing Homes yesterday wrote to the Minister, Mr Martin, to say that "following a survey of 50 of our members this morning, 80 beds are vacant in 28 of our nursing homes. The reason for this is the lack of funding from the Department of Finance since last September to the Department of Health to facilitate the take-up of these beds."
pomorain@irish-times.ie