Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am advised by the Department of Health that these are local disputes, which centre mainly on issues around staffing, the development of a bed management protocol and other measures to help staff dealing with pressures on the service. Phase 1 of this action commenced this morning with members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, PNA, refusing to answer phones, send faxes, open doors or use their own transport for the redeployment of staff. Local Health Service Executive, HSE, management is committed to resolving the issues raised by the PNA members in Waterford and management and staff are scheduled to meet again this afternoon. Recruitment processes are under way to fill 12 vacant posts and a further 13 posts will be filled through agency conversion. Needless to say, if it is not possible to resolve the dispute at a local level, it will be possible to refer it to the Workplace Relations Commission at that point.

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