Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) held a lunchtime protest over budget and staffing cuts at St Mary’s Drumcar at lunchtime.
The INMO said this was the first step in its campaign to improve Intellectual Disability Services nationally.
Industrial action was voted upon by 99% of staff back in June, just days after a HIQA inspection found major non-compliances in nine of the 10 areas inspected at the St John of God-run residential centre.
Senator Mary Moran was amongst those to attend the protest and she said she was happy to support the staff.
“I was delighted to attend the protest and show my full support for the nurses,” she said.
“Today’s protest was the first in the INMO’s Campaign for excellence in Intellectual Disability nursing. In my opinion it is imperative that the nurses in St Mary’s Drumcar receive the full support from management they deserve. I have witnessed first hand the excellent care, dedication and service that the nurses in Drumcar provide on a daily basis. Following the recent concerns raised in HIQA reports in relation to Drumcar, staff have felt their morale at an all time low despite much of the problems raised in the reports outside the control of the nursing staff.
“It is imperative that management engage with the nursing and care staff to listen to concerns. I am also extremely disappointed that despite calls made to meet with Mr John Pepper CEO of St John of God’s Services he has yet to agree to a meeting to discuss concerns. I will now raise the issues I discussed with nursing staff today with Minister Kathleen Lynch.”
Senator Mary Moran with staff on their lunchtime protest today
