Psychiatric nurses list conditions to avoid strike at Galway unit

Minister of State Kathleen Lynch is being asked to intervene ahead of proposed industrial action at the Acute Psychiatric Unit at UCHG.

Last month, the HSE issued warnings of sanctions against 10 nurses who did not take up duty on health and safety grounds.

Staff have been subjected to 36 incidents of assault so far this year, which the Psychiatric Nurses Association is attributing to severe understaffing at the unit.

Damien Conlon, Chairman of the PNA branch in Galway says the action can be averted if certain conditions are met.

Mr Conlon said: "First of all we want the threat of sanctions against nurses that stood out on health and safety grounds on the 22nd of April lifted, before we even entertain going into talks.

"We are not going to go in under the threat of sanctions to nurses.

"Secondly, we want a comprehensive solution which will include core staffing levels for that unit, and if there are one-to-one specials, that they be provided outside of that core compliment."