The Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) has suspended its industrial action pending the establishment of a task force to examine compensation for staff who are assaulted in the course of their duties.
The action, which was due to begin today in the Adelaide & Meath Hospital, Dublin, (incorporating the National Children’s Hospital in Tallaght) had been called to force the Minister for Health, Mr Martin, to respond to claims for compensation.
Speaking for the PNA, Mr Des Kavanagh, General Secretary of the PNA, said he hoped the task force would deliver the "highly justified" claim by PNA members for a compensation scheme for nurses who had been assaulted during work.
"The fact that a time from for the Task Force has been agreed and that we will agree a choice of chairman this week, are significant and meaningful developments," he said.
"Already, we have agreed that the Task Force will present its recommendations on the scheme by December 1st of this year."
The key points of the agreement, according to Mr Kavanagh, are that it recognises the unique experience of psychiatric nurses within the public service and that the Minister has agreed to implement the findings of the task force within an agreed timescale.
Speaking earlier this afternoon, the Minister for Health welcomed the move call off strike action.
Mr Martin said nurses concerns would be fully addressed by the new task force and any recommendations would be implemented as soon as possible.