Vol. 482 No. 6
278 Mr. McDowell asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the industrial dispute between nursing staff at St. Loman's Hospital and its associated community facility and the Eastern Health Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19213/97]
279 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health and Children his views on the continuing dispute at St. Loman's Hospital where psychiatric nurses have taken industrial action in protest against alleged staff shortages and an unsafe environment; if all the recommendations of the Labour Relations Commission will be met by the health board in this case; and if he will make a statement on his Department's actions in this regard. [19214/97]
283 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Health and Children the action, if any, which is being taken to resolve the escalating industrial dispute between nursing staff at St. Loman's Hospital and the Eastern Health Board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18627/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 278, 279 and 283 together.
Lengthy discussions between the Eastern Health Board, represented by the Health Service Employers' Agency, and the Psychiatric Nurses Association took place under the auspices of the Labour Relations Commission on Wednesday, 5 November 1997.
Following these discussions, the Eastern Health Board set out a formal proposal to the union. Following general meetings on 7 and 10 November 1997, the Psychiatric Nurses Association advised the Labour Relations Commission on 11 November 1997 that it was suspending indefinitely its threatened strike action and that a work to rule, which had been introduced, would be reviewed following further clarification on a number of points.
