The Minister for Health, Mary Harney, has withdrawn her request that the National Implementation Board (NIB) suspend talks with nurses' representatives over delays in opening the new Cork University Maternity Hospital.
INO general secretary Liam Doran: the only problem is failure to provide 375 qualified nurses, as promised
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Children said that the department has agreed that the talks between the should go ahead as planned but had "lodged a strong protest over the actions of nurses in relation to the delayed opening of the new Cork University Maternity Hospital."
Earlier today the Ms Harney requested that the NIB suspend talks with Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) "until the situation in Cork has been resolved."
The opening of Cork University Maternity Hospital, which was due to take place on Saturday, has been postponed for a week amid a dispute between management and unions over alleged under-staffing.
On Saturday, Health Service Executive (HSE) chief executive Prof Brendan Drumm claimed the dispute centred on nurse and midwife relocation payment demands of up to €5,000. The INO has dismissed suggestions that the delays in opening hospital were due to a demand for more money.
Despite admitting the union looked for a €1,000 payment for midwives and nurses to make the move to the new facility more attractive, INO general secretary Liam Doran insisted that safe staffing levels were a priority.
The INO stressed that the HSE had failed to provide adequate staffing.
"It is not about money," said Mr Doran. "The Labour Court recommendations were rejected by 98 per cent of members. We then became involved with further discussions with the HSE, and in that we tried to make it more attractive to move to the unit. That was also rejected by the same 98 per cent.
"From Friday night and all day Saturday the issue of money was not the problem. The only issue that was the problem was the failure of the HSE in the south, in Cork, to deliver the 375 qualified nurses and midwives that had been recommended by the Labour Court," he said.
"The HSE went to the Labour Court and said they have 375 staff. On Friday they admitted they only had 315 staff, and that was the sole reason why our members rejected it," Mr Doran added.
All patients were contacted over the weekend by hospital staff to inform them of the deferred opening.