The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is to ballot all of its members who are public sector employees for potential industrial action.

It has accused the government of failing to provide nurses and midwives with a “palatable offer on pay” as part of the renegotiation of the current public sector pay deal, Building Momentum.

The INMO pointed out that talks have been suspended since June 17, however inflation has reached a high of 9%.

“The current offer on the table will do very little to bridge the gap between the real pay of nurses and midwives and cost of living increases. Fuel continues to remain extremely expensive, rents continue to rise and childcare costs equal that of a second mortgage. Nurses and midwives do not get to opt out of these costs or find ways to cut corners as working from home is not an option,” commented INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha.

She insisted that the decision to ballot nurses on industrial action “is one that is not taken lightly, but the refusal of government as the employer to act on the spiralling cost of living has left us with very little choice”.

Ms Ní Sheaghdha warned that nurses and midwives are facing “another difficult winter”.

“If we are serious about maintaining and expanding the current nursing and midwifery workforce then as the employer, government must come forward with a realistic solution. The commitment shown since February 2020 when this pandemic hit should of itself have led to a realistic pay offer by government last June,” she added.

A pre-ballot information campaign for INMO members will begin on August 24 and balloting for industrial action will begin on September 1 unless the government makes a meaningful offer in the meantime.