Striking nurses were applauded by members of the public as they walked off wards for the fourth time in two weeks today in protest over pay and working conditions, according to union officials.
As they stood down from their duties for an hour at 11 o'clock
this morning, 350 members of the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) received a round of applause from people waiting in Portlaoise General Hospital, according to the INO.
INO spokesman Joe Hoolan told ireland.comthe support from the public was greatly appreciated and said "it was a very successful protest". He said patient services at the hospital were not affected by the strike action.
Over 300 nurses from Clare, north Tipperary and Limerick walked off wards at Ennis General Hospital, causing "no real disruption" to services there, an INO spokesperson said.
It is understood that more than 1,000 nurses joined the picket lines today in Dublin, Laois and Clare as rolling stoppages continued.
The latest
action also targeted St James's Hospital and St Patrick's Psychiatric Hospital in Dublin, Laois/Offaly Mental Health Services and Clare Mental Health Services.
All services will be provided at St James's tomorrow - Ireland's largest hospital with 1,000 beds and 1,340 nursing staff -
except for two day-case procedures that have been rescheduled for May.
Members of the INO and PNA tonight announced they will stage another protest at the Fianna Fail Constituency Office in the Square, Portlaoise, during the visit by Taoiseach Bertie Ahern tomorrow morning.
"Our members in Portlaoise and surrounding areas were very disappointed that their local Fianna Fail and PD representatives did not attend their one-hour work stoppage at Portlaoise Hospital today," said Joe Hoolan, INO industrial relations officer.
"Nurses and midwives expected to see their elected representatives supporting them during their campaign for equal treatment. "They were particularly surprised that their local Fianna Fail TDs did not attend as they had previously spoken in the Dail supporting a parliamentary motion which stated that the INO/PNA claims are legitimate and should be addressed.
Yesterday nurses protested at Sligo General Hospital, Louth County Hospital and Bantry General Hospital and
mental health services were affected in Sligo/Leitrim, Dundalk/Louth and west Cork, despite criticism from the Health Service Executive Employers' Agency that they are damaging the reputation of nursing in Ireland.
The dispute centres on the nurses' continuing campaign for
better pay and working conditions.They are seeking a reduction in their working week to 35 hours and 10 per cent pay rise.
Hospital management have met with INO officials to ensure emergency and critical care is covered during today's stoppages.
"It is important that all other patients, including outpatients and day patients, attend at their appointed time and they need not contact the hospital in advance," said a hospital spokesman.
"The Emergency Department will be under increased pressure and members of the public are requested to attend their GP, where possible, before attending the Emergency Department.
Hospital management at Ennis general said it too had met "on several occasions" with the INO co-ordinating committee and "those contingency plans worked", a spokesperson said.
One procedure was cancelled and deferred at the hospital as a result of the industrial action.
Yesterday, the HSE said that approximately 70 procedures have been deferred nationwide as a result of the work stoppages.