Nurse staffing levels in operating theatres at Mullingar General Hospital are the focus of talks at the Labour Relations Commission (LRC) today.
A spokeswoman for the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said no firm progress has been made and that the talks are scheduled to run until late this evening.
INO members in Mullingar began a work-to-rule at the hospital yesterday in a dispute over the level of nurse staffing in the operating theatres. Nurses objected that there were only two nurses present instead of three during emergency work.
As part of the work to rule nurses are refusing to clean or sterilise equipment so that this work must be done by other staff or fresh equipment used.
The talks come as nurses Carlow and in Cashel, Co Tipperary, have balloted, or are in the course of balloting, for joining the industrial action.
INO members at Our Lady's Hospital, Cashel, will ballot this week for industrial action over staffing levels. The same issue has resulted in a vote in favour of strike action at the Sacred Heart Hospital for long-stay patients in Carlow, where talks are under way between the INO and management.