As hospitals brace themselves for industrial action, the country’s largest nursing union has called on the public to join in a major protest outside the Dáil today to highlight emergency department (ED) overcrowding.

Health Minister James Reilly has been urged to meet with Siptu to discuss money-saving alternatives to his “degrading” nurse graduate scheme.

Healthcare unions have warned they will not sit back and allow sections of the public health service be outsourced to private companies, because of the HSE recruitment embargo.

THE Dublin passport office closed yesterday afternoon as part of an ongoing campaign of industrial action by civil servants.

A SECOND day of protests will take place today outside one of the country’s best-known private hospitals as part of opposition to pay cuts.

JUST €600,000 of the Government’s emergency flood relief fund of €10 million has been allocated to victims so far amid union concern over the manpower needed to process the claims.

CANCER patients at a Dublin hospital could face long delays for radiation treatment because almost a third of the treatment staff may not have their contracts renewed when they end in June.

THE system of emergency welfare payments is in danger of collapsing because of record job losses and a lack of staff to process claims, community welfare officers (CWOs) have warned.

A SHARP rise in hardship claims has prompted community welfare officers to demand an increase in employee numbers so the needs of desperate individuals and families can be met.