Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) working in the public sector have overwhelmingly supported industrial action, with 95.6% voting in favor during a six-week in-person ballot. The decision highlights growing frustration over unfilled and delayed nursing and midwifery positions in Ireland’s public healthcare system.
As of the end of 2023, more than 2,000 nursing and midwifery posts remained vacant, sparking concerns about patient safety and staff burnout.
INMO President Caroline Gourley expressed deep dissatisfaction with the current situation, stating:
“INMO members have sent a clear message to the HSE and the Department of Health that nurses and midwives are no longer willing to accept pausing the hiring of much-needed safety-critical staff in a weak attempt to balance the books. All autonomy has been stripped from directors of nursing and midwifery to recruit additional staff, yet they are expected to ensure a safe service. Patients deserve a properly staffed health service that is not constantly dogged by crisis after crisis.”
INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha emphasized the urgency of addressing staffing shortages, noting the strain placed on frontline workers:
“Our members are often the first point of contact many sick people have with the public health system. They have to bear the brunt of the public’s rightful frustration with overcrowding and long waiting lists, both of which are exacerbated by short staffing.”
The INMO’s Executive Council will now collaborate with other health sector trade unions to establish a unified response. The outcome of these deliberations is expected within two weeks.
Ní Sheaghdha also called on the next government to prioritize resolving the staffing crisis, which she described as a systemic issue affecting the entire public sector.
This industrial action vote signals a pivotal moment for Irish healthcare, as workers demand immediate solutions to safeguard both patients and frontline staff.
