INO chief: Inexcusable not to attempt peace talks

IT would be inexcusable if peace talks did not take place before nurses took industrial action later this month over pay and working hours, the head of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said yesterday.

“To stand at either end of a room and keep on shouting at one another for the next 21 days would be infantile and inexcusable,” said INO general secretary, Liam Doran.

Mr Doran said both the INO and Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) were prepared to enter negotiations without any pre-conditions and accepted the role of nurses would have to be expanded to benefit the health service.