Local psychiatric nurses' vote on industrial action concludes tomorrow
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The Psychiatric Nurses Association’s (PNA) ballot on industrial action will conclude tomorrow. The PNA’s members are voting on up to and including strike action across Galway Roscommon Mental Health Services.
The decision came following an Extraordinary General Meeting where members voted overwhelmingly in favour of a motion of no confidence in the area director of nursing.
The ballot, which covers nursing staff across Galway and Roscommon and Mental Health Intellectual Disability Services, comes after more than two years of industrial relations non-engagement by local HSE management, the union said.
PNA Industrial Relations Officer Niall O’Sullivan said its members in the counties have reached a tipping point.
“For over two years, local management has shown absolute contempt for agreed industrial relations structures, ignored Workplace Relations Commission determinations, and bypassed national HSE policies,” he said. “The overwhelming vote of no confidence reflects a complete breakdown of trust in local nursing leadership."
The industrial action ballot commenced on Tuesday, 4th August and will run until Tuesday, 25th August 2026. Results will be announced immediately upon the conclusion of counting.
When contacted the HSE said it noted the PNA’S decision to ballot for industrial action at Galway Roscommon Mental Health Services.
“The region is committed to continuing engagement with the PNA,” the HSE said. “We are committed to a solution-based approach and are engaging continuously with staff and representatives on any issue of concern.”
Retired psychiatric nurse and former PNA Regional Representative for Galway-Roscommon, Breege Callaghan told the Herald recently the service was “dysfunctional”.
“Since I retired almost three years ago, I have gotten involved in a lot of community work, especially around mental health and wellness, informing people how they access services,” she said. “We deserve better than this. I am not surprised at the industrial action ballot, nothing has changed. You won’t attract staff to work in a service that is as dysfunctional as this one.” She said that she was very familiar with the service and the damning 2017 review of the county’s mental health services, “and the fallout from it”.
“It is mind boggling, there has been nothing learned from it,” she said. “The HSE said it had implemented all these recommendations, but it meant absolutely nothing to staff on the ground. All they saw were that things at the coalface were no better.
“The saddest and most damning thing for the people of Galway-Roscommon, when all the talk is about mental health services, is that we are back here. The people deserve a modern, safe, top quality service and they are not getting it. They can dress it up anyway they like, but that’s the reality.”
