The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is to continue a campaign of opposition to the recruitment of graduate nurses on lower wages, as the HSE extended its deadline for applications.
The INMO said the deadline extension showed their boycott was working.
In a statement tonight, the union said: "The decision to extend the application date, and open up the eligibility criteria, confirms that the call for a boycott of this flawed programme is being followed by
new graduates.
"This boycott call will remain in place for whatever application period the HSE lays down."
the INMO urged its members to continue to ignore the recruitment scheme, which they said attacked and insulted the nursing profession.
Under the scheme, newly qualified nurses would be offered jobs in Irish hospitals on 80% of the salary their colleagues would earn.