Nurses threaten to target Dail seats

Nurses' representatives have threatened to to target Dáil seats in the forthcoming general election where they see the Government parties as vulnerable, by either instructing their members to vote en bloc, or by running candidates themselves.

Speaking outside a Progressive Democrats press conference on health in Dublin, Irish Nurses' Organisation representative Philip McAnenly told ireland.comthe nurses' unions had identified nearly 20 seats where they would consider targeting Government candidates on polling day on May 24th.

"We're going to use every opportunity to raise awareness about our eight claims that haven't been resolved yet. And we're going to make it clear to both parties in the Government at the moment that we are going to be everywhere they go for the next couple of weeks and if that means we spoil their party then that's what we do. Every bit of pressure we can put on them, our members are going to continue doing that," Mr McAnenly said.

Asked if the unions would consider, if the current dispute is not resolved, asking their members to vote en bloc, Mr McAnenly said: "That's something that we have considered.

What we have done is we have examined certain constituencies where we believe the Government candidates are in trouble.

"We have identified almost 20 such seats and if this isn't resolved, then we will be encouraging our members and we will be instructing our members coming closer to the election to use their vote in a strategic way. If that means voting against Government candidates and voting for candidates and voting for candidates who have pledged their support to us to resolve this dispute then we will be doing that."

Mr McAnenly said he believed that some Ministers and backbenchers were "not entirely happy" with how things were being managed in the health service.

"I believe that trickle will become a gush closer to the election as Fianna Fáil backbenchers and Government ministers realise that their own seats are in trouble. There is no such thing as a safe seat."

Mr McAnenly and around 10 other nursing representatives held a protest outside the Dublin Chamber of Commerce office in Dublin where Tánaiste Michael McDowell, Minister for Health Mary Harney and PD deputy leader Liz O'Donnell had been holding a press conference.

Both the INO and its sister union the Psychiatric Nurses' Association have been involved in a protracted dispute over pay and working conditions involving a work-to-rule in hospitals throughout the State.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) claims the dispute is costing the service some €2 million a week and has cost €10 million to date, including in overtime payments for other health staff who are being forced to provide cover during the dispute.

The unions today said Ms Harney is wrong in believing thousands of extra nurses would be needed to solve the crisis in the health service.

With one-hour work stoppages taking place in more than 20 hospitals, the INO and PNA denied claims by Ms Harney that a 35-hour working week would mean the recruitment of 4,000 more nurses.

INO deputy chief executive Dave Hughes argued that a reduction in hours could be achieved without dramatically increasing nursing numbers.

"Written documentation submitted by the INO and PNA to the management side during the course of the discussions confirmed that they were not seeking an hour-for-hour replacement or the employment of 4,000 additional nursing positions," he said.

"To continually suggest that 4,000 additional nurses would be required is grossly misleading."

Earlier today members of the INO and the PNA stopped work for an hour from 11am at a number of hospitals and mental health facilities.

In a statement, the Adelaide and Meath Hospital (Tallaght) said it had been forced to defer a number of appointments and procedures due to take place next Tuesday, May 8 ^th, due to the planned stoppage by nurses from 10am to noon. The hospital said it regrets any inconvenience caused.

It said all patients who have had appointments or procedures deferred had been notified and that, unless notified to the contrary, patients should attend at the appointed time.

The Mater hospital in Dublin said that contingency arrangements put in place during a one-hour stoppage by nurses today had ensured there was "minimal disruption" to services.

Outpatient appointments and day patients' services were not delayed, the hospital said in a statement. "Planned theatre procedures went ahead and emergency cover was agreed in advance and normal services were provided."

Chief executive of the Mater Brian Conlan, thanked the patients, their families and the general public for their "patience and goodwill both today and since the start of the nurses' work-to-rule".

The industrial action, which has been running for five weeks, is part of a attempt by 40,000 nurses to secure a 10.6 per cent pay rise and a 35-hour week.

Further two and three-hour stoppages are set to take place next Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.