Dublin: The Psychiatric Nurses’ Association (PNA) will begin industrial action on 17 September due to a dispute with the Health Service Executive (HSE) over recruitment.
The union claims the HSE is refusing to hire up to 250 new graduate psychiatric nurses in several regions, worsening the existing staff shortages in mental health services, which already face 700 vacancies. The action will be phased and is expected to start as a work-to-rule.
PNA General Secretary Peter Hughes warned that without hiring these graduates, they may be lost to private sector roles or positions abroad, further straining services reliant on agency staff and overtime. The PNA has delayed action twice for talks, but HSE CEO Bernard Gloster expressed optimism that a resolution can be reached without industrial action.
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