Nurses emigrating for a more humane working life, says Green Party

The Green Party in Cork described the second day of industrial action by nurses and midwives today as justified.

The party says that the Government is putting out exaggerated figures for the nurses’ wage claims in an attempt to discredit their case. The figure of €300m does not take into account income tax returns from increased salaries or reduced agency costs, which currently run to €100m per year due to understaffing.

Speaking this morning, Liam Quaide, the party’s candidate in Cork East, said:

“We stand with the nurses in their claims. The conditions that many nurses face on a daily basis are totally unacceptable. Understaffed wards are putting patients at risk. To have a decent healthcare system we need to value our nurses and this means addressing legitimate concerns about pay, conditions and staffing levels.”

Mr Quaide criticised the government’s decision to take legal advice on applying sanctions, including wage penalties, to striking nurses:

“I work with highly qualified and skilled nurses in the mental health system and have seen the struggles new entrants experience with low pay. There are 1754 fewer staff nurses in the system than ten years ago, despite an increased and older population. The extremely stressful situations that our nurses are working in take a considerable toll on their well-being. They are often expected to meet the the needs of too many patients and can endure the frustration of the public on a daily basis as a result. 2018 was the worst year on record for hospital overcrowding.”

“These pressures, coupled with poor wage prospects, have led to a large number of graduating nurses emigrating for a more humane working life. This is a great loss to our health service and, for those nurses who wish to return but who cannot face conditions here, is a serious personal price to pay.”