The Irish Nurses Organisation has said that the Government should, if necessary, transfer money earmarked for infrastructure projects such as roads to maintain the public health service.
The INO said that the Health Service Executive had openly acknowledged that new €70 million cutbacks will impact upon front line services. INO general secretary Liam Doran said that the Government should realise that it is not sensible or logical "to continue to spend money on roads to bypass towns when the people living in those towns towns can't access basic elements of a health service".
"We are in a a society and a community, first of all, and if we have to delay spending on infrastructure projects so that we maintain essential public services then so be it," he said.
Meanwhile, the INO is to place on its website footage recorded by patients of their experiences in hospital, including issues such as overcrowding, long queues and staff shortages.
The move formed part of a new "cutback watch" initiative aimed at highlighting the effects of cutbacks on staff and patients. The INO said that the new web-based initiative would allow patients and their families to to post comments online and to record where they experience cutbacks.
Mr Doran said that prior to placing clips recorded by patients on the website, the INO would vet material for accuracy and block out faces.
