Nurses at Naas General Hospital in Co. Kildare, Ireland, have begun indefinite industrial action over staffing shortages and patient safety, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) said, according to TheJournal.ie on 28 October.
The INMO said the action aims to keep hospital activity at safe levels that match the hospital’s significantly reduced staffing. It follows a work-to-rule that was suspended in February 2026 after talks with Health Service Executive (HSE) management. The union says commitments made then to address staffing shortages have not been implemented because of health service recruitment restrictions.
“Dangerous” overcrowding
The INMO also released national figures showing 824 patients on trolleys, the highest level of hospital overcrowding in nearly four years. INMO General Secretary Phil Ní Sheaghdha described the situation as “dangerous” and said it requires “immediate action.”
Karen McCann, the INMO industrial relations officer for Naas, said it was “regrettable that INMO members have been left with no alternative but to take such action.” She said extra beds placed on wards without regular staffing allocations leave the hospital in an unsafe state of emergency escalation, and called on management to reduce activity to match staffing, inform the public of safety concerns, and arrange alternative services. She said the INMO “remains committed to resolving this dispute.” A response from the HSE was not included in the report.
What “trolley” numbers mean
The INMO’s daily “Trolley Watch” counts admitted patients waiting on trolleys in emergency departments and on wards because no bed is available. Research has linked long waits on trolleys, especially for older patients, to worse outcomes. For nurses, it means caring for extra patients in corridors and other areas not designed for care, often without extra staff.
Why it matters for international nurses
Ireland has relied heavily on internationally educated nurses, particularly from India and the Philippines, and more recently from African countries. The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) has registered thousands of overseas nurses in recent years. Recruitment restrictions and budget pressures in the HSE affect how many posts are available, and working conditions on wards.
- If you are considering Ireland, check whether a post is funded and approved before resigning from your current job.
- Ask about staffing levels and whether the hospital uses the national Framework for Safe Nurse Staffing and Skill Mix.
- Join a union: the INMO represents most nurses and midwives in Ireland and provides professional advice and representation.
A familiar story across health systems
From Ireland and England to Australia and California, nurses are increasingly taking action over staffing rather than pay alone. Unions argue that matching activity to safe staffing is a patient safety measure, not just an industrial one.
Related: NMBI Ireland registration guide · Australian nurses take action on ratios · When the workload is unsafe
Source: TheJournal.ie (28 October 2026), reporting INMO statements.