A meeting is continuing between Health Service Executive management and officials of the Irish Nurses Organisation and SIPTU to try to resolve the staffing row which is threatening the opening of a new maternity hospital in Cork.
Cork University Maternity Hospital, which was built at a cost of €75m, is due to open on Saturday.
The INO, which represents the majority of midwives and nurses due to transfer to Cork University Maternity Hospital, said it still has concerns about staffing levels there.
However, the HSE has insisted that the hospital will open as planned on Saturday. It claims it has been advised that the INO will co-operate fully with all preparatory work in commissioning the hospital.
Yesterday, the Labour Court issued a clarification to the INO in which it said student midwives, who are qualified nurses, would be included in the complement of 375 midwives and nurses which it recommended for the opening of the hospital.
The INO says it is concerned at this development and is now seeking guidance from An Bord Altranais. The INO says it will not ballot its members on the Labour Court recommendation until the row over staffing is resolved.
INO Industrial Relations Officer Patsy Doyle said members will continue to work from the existing hospitals at Erinville and St Finbarr’s until its concerns on staffing levels at the new hospital are addressed.
However, the HSE has insisted that all staff have been rostered to work at the hospital from Saturday and said some staff had been rostered to work there from today in preparation for the opening.
Talks to resolve the dispute have been continuing since noon.
