Talks between nurses and the HSE end without agreement last night

Talks finished at 11.55pm.

Discussions between the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO), SIPTU, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Health, and the HSE concluded last night, yet no agreement was made. After the talks, nursing unions criticised the government's proposals for a new nursing contract. They called the proposals "inadequate" and that they didn't fulfil the requirements of the Labour Court recommendations. INMO took to Twitter last night to announce the news. In a statement, the organisation said: "Talks on a new contract for nurses and midwives have finished for the night. "There is a very large gap between the INMO and the employers on the new contract. We do not believe that their current proposals would be acceptable to our members, nor do they fulfil the requirements of the Labour Court recommendation. "This dispute arose over recruitment and retention problems. The employer's proposed contract would only worsen those problems. "Your elected Executive Council will have an extraordinary meeting tomorrow (Monday) at 2pm to decide the next steps."

Members' update, as talks on the new contract finish for the night (from 23:55, Sunday). pic.twitter.com/yeuEcSdadE

— Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation (@INMO_IRL) March 11, 2019