Hospital managers and nursing leaders have been discussing contingency plans for the widening of industrial action at five medical facilities in counties Dublin and Roscommon tomorrow.
On the eve of the second phase of one-hour work stoppages, it emerged that two teachers' unions have backed the action being taken by the Irish Nurses Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association.
Further talks have been taking place today to try to minimise patient disruption during tomorrow's planned work stoppages.
They will take place between 11am and midday at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin, St Ita's Psychiatric Hospital and St Joseph's Intellectual Disability Service in Portrane, and Roscommon County Hospital and Roscommon Mental Health Services.
Beaumont Hospital has said that following meetings with nursing unions it expects to be able to run almost all services as normal tomorrow.
A spokesman for the hospital said six out of 42 planned endoscopies have been rescheduled for next week, while 20 out of 70 outpatients appointments at one surgical outpatient clinic have been rescheduled for the next two weeks.
The hospital has said the patients concerned have been contacted and has also warned that there may be some delays in some service areas.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the HSE has said St Ita's Psychiatric Hospital and St Joseph's Intellectual Disability Service expect to be able to provide the same level of service as normal, despite work stoppages there.
There may be short disruption during the work stoppage, but appointments for the hour concerned have been rescheduled to the afternoon.
The dispute shows no sign of resolution. Speaking on RTÉ Radio's Morning Ireland, INO General Secretary Liam Doran said employers had to name a date for the introduction of a 35-hour week, and insisted the work-to-rule would continue until the issue of pay was resolved.
Barry O'Brien of the Health Service Executive said a reduction in working hours could only occur following a detailed risk assessment study, and there was no prospect of a pay offer being made to nurses outside of benchmarking.
Teachers show support
This morning, the Association of Secondary School Teachers in Ireland passed a motion supporting the nurses' campaign over pay and conditions.
The motion was passed by delegates at the ASTI annual convention in Sligo.
It follows a similar motion passed by the Teachers' Union of Ireland at its conference yesterday.
ASTI says it supports the right of the INO and the PNA to negotiations outside the benchmarking process.
It says the deficiencies and inflexibilities of the current arbitration process must not be used to isolate, obstruct or demean a caring profession.
Several speakers expressed their solidarity with the nurses before the motion was passed unanimously.
The INO said it welcomed and appreciated the motion of support from its ASTI colleagues.
It said the motion once again demonstrated that teachers and nurses have a shared insight into the pressures that exist when working in the front-line delivering public services.
