Opposition to the Hanly Report on medical staffing grew yesterday, with the Irish Nurses' Organisation (INO) expressing anger at an attempt to exclude its union official from a briefing in Ennis on the report.
The briefing on Wednesday by the author of the report, Mr David Hanly, was organised to outline the report's proposals to local people and medical staff.
However, INO regional official Mr Eddie Mathews was initially excluded from the briefing by organisers on the basis that he was not a member of the hospital staff. He was then admitted but said he was not allowed to comment or ask questions.
"This indicated an approach which lacked the basic requirements of inclusivity and consultation on such a crucial issue affecting staff and patients alike," Mr Mathews said.
A Department of Health spokeswoman said the information sessions were aimed at hospital staff, local councillors and community groups but that no order had been issued to ban all other people from the meetings.
Mr Mathews said the briefing "did little to allay the fears of nurses and the people of Ennis and the surrounding area", because the report authors did not invite alternative views as to how health services should be delivered in Co Clare.
The INO has said it would be "simply impossible" to support the Hanly Report proposals in the current circumstances.
More than 20,000 people are expected to attend tomorrow's march in Clare to protest against the downgrading of services at Ennis General Hospital.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/7e460536-4b39-4a5e-b74b-a115823c9e15.png)