Members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) are beginning industrial action in a dispute over staffing numbers.
The action throughout the mental health services is in the form of a work-to-rule with members only performing duties that are part of their core nursing roles.
The PNA has accused the Health Service Executive of failing to exempt mental health services from proposed cuts in nursing numbers and restrictions on recruitment.
The union said that staffing in mental health services has been reduced to unsustainable levels impacting service delivery.
“We have reached an impasse with the HSE and while we will continue to engage under the auspices of the WRC, we are insisting that these are meaningful talks with a view to resolving the issues of staffing in mental health services and the streamlining of nurse recruitment into the services,” said PNA General Secretary Peter Hughes.
A further 80,000 health workers will commence a work-to-rule from 31 March as part of the dispute over staffing numbers.
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, Fórsa, Connect, Unite, and the MLSA met Health Service Executive CEO Bernard Gloster earlier this week, but the unions accused management of not taking the dispute seriously and of having a “cavalier” attitude to the planned industrial action.
The HSE has asked the Workplace Relations Commission to intervene in the dispute.
It has previously said that the planned industrial action is regrettable against the background of additional funding for the health service and increasing staff numbers.
According to the HSE, funding provided in 2024 and 2025 will allow the HSE to recruit an additional 6,528 staff in 2025 in addition to replacing departing staff.
It has warned that any industrial action would be seriously disruptive to the provision of services and will lead to increased delays and longer waiting lists.
