Crisis looms as 1,000 nurses could retire by summer

The junior minister for health has warned of a looming staff crisis in the service, with the possible retirement of well over a thousand nurses by June.

Kathleen Lynch said the HSE is actively trying to encourage those eligible to retire to stay on, while asking those who emigrated to return.

The Minister was speaking as she visited a new 50-bed mental health facility at Cork University Hospital.

She said she informed the Taoiseach of the matter yesterday, and described it as "very, very challenging".

"There's a possibility of well over a thousand [retiring] - but we're hoping that we can encourage a substantial amount of those people to remain on."

"It's a difficult area to work in and they have a right to retire at that age. But the amount of experience they've gathered at that age is very hard to replace."