Nurses dismiss Harney bid to halt work-to-rule

A BID by Health Minister Mary Harney to stop a work-to-rule by nurses later this month does not go far enough, the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said yesterday.

While nurses staged lunchtime protests in Galway and Limerick, Ms Harney urged them to accept Labour Court recommendations on pay increases and take part in a new forum to discuss their demands for reduced working hours.

Both the INO and the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA) began industrial action last Monday with a protest in Cork and there are plans for further protests in Dublin next Friday.