The Government was tonight urged to intervene in a dispute involving a hunger striker protesting at plans to shut a hospital ward.
The Irish Nurses Organisation (INO) said the son of a patient at St Patrick’s Hospital, Waterford began the campaign last week.
The INO said he hopes to force the Health Service Executive (HSE) to reverse its decision to close a 19-bedded ward at the facility.
But the nursing body said it was worried about the man’s health and urged Minister for Health Mary Harney to help resolve the dispute and appoint a mediator.
Liz Curran, INO industrial relations officer, said: “Our members at the hospital are becoming very concerned about the potential serious damage to this man’s health if his hunger strike is allowed to continue.
“Somebody must take the initiative and we are calling on the minister to appoint an expert to intervene in this potentially dangerous stand off.”
The INO said the HSE plans to close St Bridget’s Ward by this July and admissions have now ceased.
The nurses’ organisation said it was fully supportive of efforts to keep the beds open, but could not condone the hunger strike.
“As patient advocates, our members also fear the permanent loss of these beds from the county for the elderly population of Waterford, and fear the further erosion of services at the hospital in the future,” Ms Curran said.
She added the INO and trade union Unite would attend a hearing at the Labour Relations Commission in June over the issue.
PA