The Irish Nurses Organisation is to begin balloting its members today on proposals aimed at ending their dispute regarding pay and conditions.
The recommendations put forward by the National Implementation Body earlier this week include a reduction in working hours from 39 to 37.5 hours.
An independent commission will also be set up to report on how a further reduction to 35 hours can be achieved.
Both the INO and Psychiatric Nurses Association have suspended their work stoppages pending a vote on the working-hours proposal.
The INO ballot gets underway today, while the PNA is due to put the recommendation to its members on Monday.
The results are not expected to be known until after the General Election.