Health service dispute - Two-pronged fight could hurt Coalition

THE crisis in the health service is set to deepen this week with nurses cranking up their fight for more pay and shorter working hours and Health Minister Mary Harney moving to recruit hundreds of specialists in a bid to break the grip of consultants over the system.

Stepping up their campaign for a 10% pay hike and a 35-hour week, the country’s 40,000 nurses are planning to disrupt the service with rolling one-hour work stoppages at medical and mental health centres in Sligo, Louth, Leitrim, West Cork, Laois, Offaly and Clare.

Up to now, the health of patients appears not to have suffered adversely in hospitals where stoppages have already taken place, despite a countrywide work-to-rule across the health service.