O Caoláin challenges Taoiseach on nurses
Sinn Fein TD Caoimhghín O Caoláin urged the Taoiseach in the Dáil on Tuesday to initiate immediate re-engagement with the nurses organisations as the first all-out nurses' strike looms next week.
Addressing the Taoiseach during Question Time, O Caoláin pointed out that there is ``a haemorrhaging of nursing staff from our health services so, clearly, something vital is missing from the nursing profession''. He continued:
``Yesterday, the members of the North-Eastern Health Board unanimously endorsed a last minute appeal to the Minister for Health and Children to re-engage with the representatives of the nursing organisations. Recognising that that included representatives of his own party in four of the counties in the north east, will the Taoiseach seek to ensure that the Minister for Health and Children will respond positively to this last minute appeal, in the face of a dangerous situation for everybody?''
The Taoiseach referred the Sinn Féin TD to statements made by the Minister for Health and Children Brian Cowen urging nurses' acceptance of the Labour Court recommendations.
O Caoláin commented later:
``We are on the verge of a nurses' strike where one of the most dedicated and deserving sections of the workforce is compelled to take action because they have been denied their fair share of the so-called Celtic Tiger. It is up to the government now to avert this catastrophe by immediately re-entering negotiations and fully recognising the massive contribution of the nurses to our society.''
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