Harney gets frosty reception at INO conference

Minister for Health Mary Harney has been met with a frosty reception at a special conference of the Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) in Dublin today.

Ms Harney is addressing the gathering as nurses continue their campaign of industrial action in pursuit of a 10% pay rise and a 35-hour working week.

She told delegates that she regretted the dispute and said the biggest losers were patients.

INO President Madeline Spiers, meanwhile, accused the HSE of adopting a deliberately aggressive stance in an attempt to break the spirit of nurses.