Nurses continue protest over A&E wards

Hundreds of nurses protested outside hospitals today in the second day of the Irish Nurses Organisation’s campaign over standards in emergency wards.

On the second day of the ‘Enough is Enough’ campaign, 400 demonstrators gathered outside the A&E department of Cavan General Hospital.

Around 200 people protested outside Tallaght Hospital in Dublin.

Staff were joined by politicians and councillors including Sinn Féin TD for Dublin South West, Sean Crowe, and Mayor of South Dublin County Council Robert Dowds.

In Castlebar INO industrial relations officer Noreen Muldoon said that 400 to 450 people turned out to protest at Mayo General Hospital.

“Our members are working under a lot of stress,” Ms Muldoon said.

“They’re working in conditions where they can’t carry out their work in the professional manner they’re qualified to do.”

She said the situation at the hospital was “unacceptable” and she had spoken to one person who claimed to have been on a trolley for four days.

The INO reported that there were 291 patients left on trolleys at A&E wards today.

The organisation is calling for implementation of the 10-point plan which has been drawn up for A&E units by the Minister for Health, Mary Harney.