Student nurses at Waterford Regional Hospital staged a second hour-long protest yesterday in pursuit of a meal allowance claim, and have threatened the escalate the dispute.
The students, members of the Irish Nurses Organisation, protested outside the hospital at lunchtime, claiming they are not given parity with colleagues elsewhere in the State. This is denied by the South Eastern Health Board.
Student nurses normally receive three meals a day during their three years of training. The INO claims, however, that the 160 student nurses at Waterford Regional Hospital are not in a position to access canteen facilities on a regular basis.
They were seeking instead "a reasonable payment" to reflect the cost of their meals. "The INO are only seeking the allowance for the current students as this scenario will not arise following the introduction of the degree programme in 2002," it said in a statement.
An industrial relations officer with the union, Ms Phil Ní Sheaghdha, said no progress had been made in discussions with management to date and the protests were "set to escalate in the coming week".
The health board, in a statement, said the students were provided with swipe cards for the hospital canteen. "This system is a checking system and does not inhibit the choice or quantity of food obtained by the students.
"The South Eastern Health Board believes this is the most efficient method of ensuring that student nurses receive the meals that they are entitled to."
The board said it was aware some other training hospitals operated a different system and it also acknowledged psychiatric student nurses in its area received an allowance in lieu of free meals.