THE head of the National Maternity Hospital has apologised for upsetting foreign nurses allegedly threatened with repatriation if they did not agree to sign contracts which would result in loss of earnings of €26,000.

THE Irish Nurses Organisation is investigating claims that 17 overseas nurses were threatened with repatriation unless they signed contracts which would have resulted in loss of earnings of up to €26,000 each.

AN accident and emergency nurse, who had been in Ireland for just a couple of months, was lifted by the hair, slammed against a wall and repeatedly punched in the head and neck in a vicious attack at work.

A NURSING representative at Ireland’s dirtiest hospital yesterday blamed overcrowding and lack of infection control resources for its failure to meet minimum hygiene standards.

ONE of the country’s largest hospitals was forced to cancel all elective surgery today because of serious overcrowding problems in its accident and emergency department.

NEMO Rangers coach Billy Morgan believes that defenders Gary Murphy and Sean O’Brien should be part of Larry Tompkins’ Cork panel for the Allianz League.