Patient safety is being compromised by cuts to nurses and midwives, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation.
Today is the second day of the INMO conference, where staffing levels tops the agenda.
The 350 delegates will shortly hear international research which shows the impact of poor staffing on patients.
General secretary Liam Doran says nurses are overworked and understaffed.
"The health system cannot take any more cuts," he said.
"Care is being compromised, our members gathering today are very strerssed with the workloads they have and they genuinely feel that the quality of care is suffering because of a shortage of staff on the frontline."