The Sligo Branch of the INMO urged the Organisation to call on the Government to cease its current “draconian” austerity measures, which are stifling economic growth and job creation. The motion was put forward at the INMO ADC.

Speaking on the matter, Ann McGowan from the Sligo Branch, said: “These draconian measures have merely protected the fat cats and the banking world, and have driven the vulnerable in our society into an ever-increasing downward spiral of misery.

“Our public health system has been a particular victim of the effects of reduced funding. Every day, every nurse and midwife in this country witnesses at firsthand, the disimprovements in standards of care in their areas of work.

She continued: “As professionals and patient advocates, we must bring the concerns of those who have no voice of their own into the public arena, and we believe it is now time to engage with the citizens of this country in an open and honest manner about the type of health service they want.” Ms McGowan concluded;

“We cannot keep doing more with less, and Enda et al need to hear that from us everyday.”

Supporting the motion, Jo Tully, from the Dublin Southwest Branch, said: “Our health services are in complete meltdown. We’re talking about the entire acute services: the A & E services, the ICU services, the CCU services, the theatre services are effectively in meltdown.”

She added: “The richest section in our society continue to extrapolate from us enormous wealth… Austerity is a failure.”

The motion was carried.

ADC - Austerity dubbed a ‘failure’