Nurses to debate motion of no confidence in Mary Harney

The Irish Nurses Organisation is due to debate a motion of no confidence in Minister for Health Mary Harney this week.

The motion will be tabled at the organisation's annual conference, which gets underway in Co Cavan later today.

Delegates will debate whether Ms Harney has lived up to her responsibilities as Minister for Health, particularly in relation to the accident and emergency crisis.

The minister has already attracted criticism from nurses for deciding not to attend the conference due to a previous engagement in the United States.

The INO conference is likely to be dominated by the on-going problem of A&E overcrowding, but the issue of pay and conditions for nurses is also high on the agenda.