Talks were under way at the Health Service Employers Agency last night in an effort to avert today's strike by psychiatric nurses at Tallaght Hospital.
The Psychiatric Nurses Association has called the strike in pursuit of its claim for compensation for members injured in the course of their work. One- day strikes are planned for other psychiatric units on Friday.
The association met the HSEA yesterday to discuss emergency cover but proposals to resolve the dispute were also put to the union. These were based on a letter sent to the union by the Minister for Health and Children late last week.
Its general secretary, Mr Des Kavanagh, stressed yesterday that only a very small minority of psychiatric patients behaved in a violent way. One such patient might be responsible for many incidents.
Tallaght Hospital said it understood emergency cover would be provided if the strike went ahead.
Schizophrenia Ireland has appealed to the nurses to make further attempts to resolve the issue without industrial action.