Talks on hospital dispute may yield results

Talks aimed at resolving the three-week dispute at University College Hospital Galway, over threatened temporary ward closures…

Talks aimed at resolving the three-week dispute at University College Hospital Galway, over threatened temporary ward closures and laying off of nursing staff, went on all day at the hospital yesterday. Mr John O'Dowd, chairman of the National Partnership Forum, facilitated the negotiations.

Signs were hopeful last night that a resolution might be closer. SIPTU, which represents more than 200 of the facility's 600-plus nurses, indicated progress had been made.

The union has consistently refused to countenance any reduction in hospital services.

Yesterday's discussions included a meeting between SIPTU, the Irish Nurses' Organisation and the chief executive officer of the Western Health Board, Dr Sheelah Ryan.

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This is the first time the CEO has met the unions since the announcement of plans to close down two wards and an operating theatre and to let go 45 temporary nurses until the end of the year.

The health board, faced with a budget overrun of £1.7 million at the hospital, hoped cutbacks would save £300,000. But while the theatre has been shut, no beds have been closed or nurses laid off since the furore over the plans. INO nurses have been operating a strict work-to-rule for more than a week.

SIPTU's Galway branch secretary, Mr Michael Kilcoyne, said last night there had been limited progress at the talks, which are expected to resume this afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Midland Health Board said discussions were continuing on hospital bed closures in Tullamore. An INO spokeswoman, Ms Claire Treacy, said last night an agreement could be reached within 24 hours. She said the discussions had been positive and she was very hopeful a solution acceptable to the nurses could be found.