A chairde,

This morning the HSE CEO Mr. Bernard Gloster announced that the current recruitment freeze affecting clerical grades would be extended until the end of the year across all HSE grades, including many of our members’ grades. The recruitment embargo will not affect 2023 nursing and midwifery graduates or consultants.

This decision was taken without consultation with any of the health sector trade unions. 

Your National Executive Council held an emergency meeting this afternoon to discuss the next steps to protect your practice in this very high-risk environment.

The Executive Council took a decision, having already met INMO reps at a meeting in Dublin on Wednesday of this week that following this announcement they would immediately engage with members with a view to a ballot for industrial action to protect nursing and midwifery practice and patient safety. 

In the meantime, the National Joint Council of Unions has today contacted the HSE for an urgent meeting. Thus far the employer has declined to meet with us. We will continue to request immediate engagement with the unions to resolve this matter.

The Executive Council of the INMO believes that this recruitment freeze represents a serious error on the part of the employer and that the impact on the provision of care in the health service will be significant. Given the current instability of the health service and the disastrous levels of overcrowding experienced in hospitals last January, the prospect of an even further depleted workforce facing into the end of 2023 is unacceptable.

We intend to vigorously oppose this recruitment freeze and will pursue all matters for those who have offers of employment that have been accepted and who receive notice that a start date will not be offered.

The INMO will be in contact with members to organise consultation meetings on this matter and to consider a ballot for industrial action. We will update you early next week.

Is Míse

Phil Ni Sheaghdha
General Secretary