GOVERNMENT "HENCHMEN" have used "every dirty trick in the book" to try to demonise nurses, chairman of the Psychiatric Association of Ireland Liam McNamara has said.
Speaking yesterday at the association's annual conference in Co Meath, Mr McNamara strongly criticised a planned compensation scheme for psychiatric nurses assaulted in the course of their work. More than 8,000 psychiatric nurses are to take part in industrial action, starting next Wednesday, over the scheme.
"This scheme proposed compensation to nurses of less than 20 per cent of what similar injuries attract under the PIAB [Personal Injuries Assessment Board]," he said.
The Government had assured nurses they would benefit when there was an improvement in the national financial situation, he said. "When Government had the money to pay us, what did they do? Government henchmen attempted to demonise nurses."
Nurses endured low pay while Ms Harney was the "world's best-paid health minister presiding over a dire health service", he said.
