LRC talks fail to resolve dispute at Galway hospital

The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, is expected to face further criticism in the Dail today following the breakdown of Labour Relations Commission talks aimed at resolving the cutbacks crisis at University College Hospital, Galway.

Management is now expected to meet to decide on the timing of the closures of two wards, a theatre and the lay-off of 45 temporary nurses. When first proposed for early November the Western Health Board hoped to save £300,000 on the cutbacks given that the hospital was expected to exceed its budget by £1.9 million and the health board its budget by £1.7 million by the end of this year. Under the Health Amendment Act, health boards must remain within budget.

Unions expressed bitterness last night at the breakdown, with the Irish Nurses' Organisation describing it as a "backward step". Management had been extremely "belligerent" and clearly had no intention of reaching a settlement, Ms Claire Treacy of the INO said. The INO will be escalating its work-to-rule at the hospital, with members instructed not to answer telephones, she said.

Mr Michael Kilcoyne of SIPTU said the health board had missed out on an opportunity to resolve the issue. SIPTU nursing members are due to travel to Dublin today for the Dail debate on the health services.

The Western Health Board said the talks had been adjourned on the basis that all parties reserve their position. The LRC has requested that all parties review their respective positions and decide on an approach and added that its services will continue to be available.

The LRC talks in Galway broke down after six hours of negotiations involving the health board, the INO and SIPTU.

Mr Kilcoyne had warned that the LRC was not in a position to deal with the closure of wards or the theatre, and could deal only with staffing. The issue had been referred to the LRC last week by the INO after talks with the health board failed to make sufficient progress.

The INO was seeking a guarantee of no ward closures, full employment of temporary staff and the maintenance of a full nursing staff at the hospital for all of 1999. Of the 45 temporary nurses threatened with job losses, 10 have already been signed up by other hospitals.

This is the first year health boards have had to stay within their budgets under the Health Amendment Act, but Opposition deputies have called for a supplementary estimate to help the cash crisis at the Galway hospital, which is expected to reach well over £1 million by the end of the year.

Earlier this week, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, said a supplementary health Estimate to be introduced today would not provide any additional funding for increases in costs or activity.

Meanwhile, local public fundraising efforts to keep at least some of the services going until the end of the year are continuing in Galway in response to an offer by Mr Jack McCann, a consultant plastic surgeon at UCGH. Last week, the consultant offered to work for half his salary until Christmas or to make a once-off donation or loan to the Western Health Board.

Mr McCann, who is chairman of the Community Health Response Group attached to the hospital, said the main issue - patient care - was now being overlooked.

The health board last night said it regretted the threats of escalated "industrial action" and emphasised that there had been no ward closures to date and no lay-offs.

It asked for the public's patience in relation to non-urgent inquiries and warned that there could be a delay in answering telephones due to the INO's work-to-rule.