Further operation cancellations and delays are expected in hospitals around the country as the work-to-rule by nurses enters its third day.

Negotiations between the Irish Hospital Consultants Association and the Health Service Executive on a revised contract for consultants have resumed. The talks take place against the backdrop of a threat by the Minister for Health, Mary Harney, to impose a new contract, and proceed with the appointment of 300 consultants on an interim salary if an agreement is not reached by 17 April.

Latest figures from HSE West show that 19 of 24 samples of cryptosporidium taken from sick patients and sent for analysis in Wales are of human and not animal origin. The HSE said that the results do not confirm the parasite outbreak that has infected the drinking water of 90,000 people in Galway city and county is primarily caused by sewage.

Further operation cancellations and delays are expected in hospitals around the country as the work-to-rule by nurses enters its third day. The unions are threatening work stoppages in one week’s time if their demands for a 35-hour working week and a 10% pay increase are not met.

Nurses are accusing health service managers of responsibility for any disruption being felt as a result of their ongoing work-to-rule action. Members of the Irish Nurses Organisation and the Psychiatric Nurses Association are beginning the third day of the protest today in pursuit of improved pay and conditions.

Nursing unions are meeting today to discuss a possible escalation in industrial action as part of their campaign for improved pay and working conditions. Nursing unions are meeting today to discuss a possible escalation in industrial action as part of their campaign for improved pay and working conditions.

The number of homeless people in Northern Ireland has risen by 15%, it emerged last night. The figures were revealed in a major report from the Housing Executive which was launched just one day before Sir John Semple’s final report on affordable housing in Ulster.

A Dublin centre offering crisis pregnancy advice has hit back at claims that it is intentionally misleading women in an effort to prevent them from considering having abortions in the UK.

Tough new legislation to crack down on child sex abuse images is currently being considered by the Government, it was announced today. The Government is hoping to introduce a new offence that would criminalise the possession of cartoons, drawings and material created by the manipulation of computer software depicting the sexual abuse of children.

More than 40,000 nurses throughout the country are beginning a work-to-rule this morning as part of their campaign for improved pay and conditions.