Nurses call for public to join overcrowding protest

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation is calling on members of the public to join them in a lunchtime protest, over what they have described as the appalling overcrowding of our hospitals.

The demonstration, which is being supported by SIPTU and ICTU, will take place at 12 noon outside the Kildare street entrance of the Dáil to coincide with the return of TDs today after the Christmas break.

It comes as nurses at Naas General Hospital in Co Kildare were confirmed as the latest group to back a work-to-rule over the issue, starting next month. The mesure was approved by a 97% majority among IMNO members.

INMO Industrial Relations Officer, Derek Reilly said: "INMO members are gravely concerned for the well-being of patients who have to suffer the indignity of being nursed on a corridor for days at a time.

"The levels of overcrowding and staff shortages at Naas General Hospital are now the worst in the hospital’s history.

"Members are demanding that the Government, Department of Health and the HSE provide adequate resources for Naas General Hospital."

Deputy general secretary of the INMO David Hughes said there were patient-flow plans in place at hospitals to free up space, but overcrowding made it impossible to keep those systems running.

"When it gets overcrowded, all systems fall apart," he said. "We are effectively running hospitals that are 100% occupied and that's not possible to do every single day of the year, but that's what's being expected."