Sir, As nurse managers with extensive experience in Ireland and abroad, we feel it appropriate to comment on the pay negotiations for nurses which are taking place at this time.
If there negotiations are allowed to drag on until nurses have to consider strike action, we in Ireland stand to lose far more than we could possibly gain by delaying or limiting a pay increase. We have a compassionate, caring and well motivated work force which if driven to such industrial action we are likely to lose forever.
There is an urgent need to correct pay anomalies which have arisen over several years. The strength of feeling among nurses was recently demonstrated when over 2,000 attended a meeting in Dublin.
If Irish society places any value on the service provided by nurses, this is the time to demonstrate it. While one day's industrial action will adversely affect patients at the time, there are other far reaching consequences to be considered. The Irish health service may never regain the degree of flexibility and adaptability that nurses now demonstrate. Equally, the sense of professional integrity which has for so long motivated, Irish nurses will be lost. Yours etc., PETA TAAFFE, Clyde Court, Dublin 4.