Lives at risk in nurses' dispute: Patients' association
The Irish Patients Association has said there is no doubt but that the lives of patients will be placed at risk by today's strike action by nurses.
Nursing staff in the country's Accident and Emergency units will begin a two-hour work stoppage at midday, followed by an indefinite work-to-rule.
The IPA's Stephen McMahon said it will be a very difficult day. "Once again we find that patients are useless pawns in an industrial dispute," he said.
"We would hope at this stage at this stage that nurses would consider their position and defer the strike until they have entered into the full consultation process".
Fenton Howell of the Irish Medical Organisation said they are requesting hospital management to ensure that there are extra non-medical staff to take over the work which nurses are refusing to do.
