HSE contingency plans ‘worked well’

CONTINGENCY plans by the Health Service Executive to deal with yesterday’s industrial action by the public sector trade unions worked well, the health authority claimed last night.

It said hospitals around the country, particularly emergency departments, were very busy with a Christmas Day level of cover provided across many of services.

The health authority pointed out that all non-emergency hospital procedures were cancelled over the last two days in the interest of patient safety and quality.

The HSE said it wanted to acknowledge the “responsible approach” taken by health sector trade unions in providing emergency cover and exemptions for critical care services that ensure patient safety was put first.

Meanwhile, thousands of striking public service workers brought a halt to services provided by Kerry County Council and towns councils in Tralee, Killarney and Listowel.

Civil and public servants, as well teachers and nurses, were among those expressing their opposition to cuts.

Kieran O’Malley, vice president of the public sector union IMPACT, was among the strikers outside Áras an Chonntae, Kerry County Council’s headquarters, in Tralee.

Calling on the government to enter into meaningful talks with the unions, he claimed the government had failed to engage in any meaningful way with the unions in the past 10 months.

Hundreds of nurses and other striking staff at Kerry General Hospital, in Tralee, were joined by Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) industrial secretary Michael Dineen, who said yesterday’s countrywide action would be the first in series of disputes.

More than 5,000 teachers angered by possible budget cuts joined the protest outside the Department of Education.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) claimed the public sector walkout sent a clear message to the Government that workers wanted meaningful talks on an equitable plan for economic recovery.

Sheila Nunan, incoming general secretary of the primary teachers’ union, called on members to ignore attempts to divide and conquer workers.

She told the crowd on Marlborough Street, in Dublin’s north inner city, that crude attempts to separate public and private sector workers would fail.

INTO central executive representative for Limerick and Kerry Seamus Long said he was delighted with the turnout of the teachers outside the Department of Education and Science regional headquarters in Limerick yesterday:

“Over 1,000 members have been here between the various branches. The vast majority are primary school teachers but we have also had inspectors, special education needs organisers, education and welfare officers and others have joined us also.”

“This could be one of the biggest gatherings in the country. There are people here from Kerry, Limerick, Clare and Tipperary.”

“The proposed cutbacks are a bridge too far as far as we are concerned. It is very unjust and inequitable in that we only have public servants, at this point in time, paying the pension levy.”

“The pension levies, embargoes on promotions, the withdrawal of certain positions and the increase in class sizes and with all the rest of the cuts since the last budget, there has already been over €1.2 billion given back by the public service at this stage and they are coming back for more and we are saying enough is enough

“As you can tell from today, there would be absolutely no opposition to a second day of protest.”

ASTI general secretary John White warned further industrial action looks likely if the Government refuses to listen to almost a quarter of a million public sector workers.

“The Government has failed to discuss with us a fair way of dealing with the economic crisis,” said Mr White.

Meat Industry Ireland, the IBEC group that represents the Irish meat processing industry, said the strike has had a very serious impact on the sector.

Director Cormac Healy said the action had seriously hit businesses in the meat processing sector and their 10,000 employees. “The entire industry has been brought to a standstill,” he said.