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LAST UPDATE | 28 Apr 2023
THE IRISH NURSES and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called for the Health and Safety Authority to be better resourced to enhance the safety of nurses, midwives and other healthcare workers on Workers’ Memorial Day.
Today marks the international day of remembrance and action for workers killed, disabled and injured in the course of their work.
INMO President Karen McGowan spoke on behalf of healthcare workers at the memorial event the Garden of Remembrance which began at 10:30 this morning.
“Workers’ Memorial Day in Ireland is an important opportunity to honour and remember workers who have lost their lives or suffered injuries while on the job, and to advocate for safer workplaces and better protection of workers’ rights,” she told the event.
Minister of State for Business, Employment and Retail Neale Richmond TD and Interim CEO of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), Mark Cullen, were in attendance.
“The Health and Safety Authority must act on the unsafe conditions our healthcare workers are working in and patients are presenting to. The HSA has done phenomenal work in transforming workplace safety in the construction and agriculture industries – if given the resources it must do the same in healthcare.”
McGowan highlighted the danger healthcare workers faced during the pandemic and the attacks on staff that occur each day.
Over 63% of all incidents of assault that occur against HSE workers are levelled against nurses and midwives.
Between January 2021 and October 2022, there were 5,593 reported assaults against nursing and midwifery staff and 9,075 assaults were recorded on staff and patients within the healthcare sector during the same period.
The INMO has stated that this figure does not include assaults against nurses and midwives in Section 38 facilities, and that there are at least ten assaults against nurses and midwives every day.
In February, paediatric nurse Sylvia Chambers told the Oireachtas Health Committee that she is regularly verbally abused at work, has had objects thrown at her and was threatened that when she would be stabbed when she left work.
Interim CEO of the HSA, Mark Cullen, told the Garden of Remembrance event that the HSA’s new Occupational Health Division was now operational and would have 100 staff.
“We’re now positioned to give even greater focus to occupational health hazards such as those arising from exposure to chemical and biological agents, and from psychosocial and ergonomic risks.”
The division will focus on tackling burnout, work related stress, depression and anxiety, as well as bone, joint or muscle problems and violence and aggression in the workplace.
McGowan’s speech noted that healthcare workers had put their own safety at risk everyday during the pandemic.
“I am a healthcare worker, I’m an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in a hospital not far from where we stand today. Every day, we care for patients and provide vital services to our communities.”
“As we emerge from the worst of the pandemic, I believe it is important to look back. 23 healthcare workers tragically lost their lives because of Covid-19. We think of them and their families today.”
“Thousands of healthcare workers contracted what was an unknown virus in the line of their work. Hundreds of my healthcare colleagues are still paying the price as they continue to deal with the symptoms of Long-Covid.
“We put ourselves in a situation where we did not know the outcome in order to put our patients first. As we reflect on workplace injuries today, many of my colleagues and I will ask ourselves, knowing what we know now would we do it again? Can we say that our safety in the workplace has improved?”
Today’s event commemorated the 461 people who were killed in work-related incidents over a ten-year period from 2013-2023.
Eight people have died in work-related incidents so far this year.
There were 2,162 reported work-related injuries or illnesses in this same period, according to the HSA.
The HSA’s data also showed that the sectors with the highest number of reported injuries and illnesses in 2022 included human health and social work, manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, the repair of vehicles and construction.
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Suprise sur-fûckin-prise.
And yet the government want to increase it more with minimum pricing
And yet people still drink themselves unconcious
Thsnkfully, the EU are stopping minimum pricing.
Might be because they can not afford the price of food Shawn?
If they can afford the most expensive alcohol in the Europe, surely they could afford food?
Well seeing as the food prices are too high …..
6 pack of cheap beer is €6-7, often fed myself for less in college!
Well said Magna, it’s become an annual running joke in the dail, putting up the tax on booze/fags/fuel. Are they ever going to row back on levies on the bag of coal, people literally spare the stuff at winter and go cold.
We are taken for fools in this country by those in power, they bring in a carbon tax trying to pretend that they care about the environment, when in effect it’s just an excuse to tax us even more for trying to heat our homes. Now they are trying to bring in ‘minimum alcohol pricing’ under the ruse that they are deeply concerned about binge drinking, when yet again it’s just an excuse to charge even more for alcohol, despite us already having the highest alcohol prices in Europe.
€12 for a pint of Guinness in Paris on Monday. If the proprietors in Temple Bar knew that, prices might get worse here. Who does these surveys anyway?
Think I paid €15 for a pint in Iceland (I know not in the EU) a few weeks ago. I assumed I got the exchange wrong at the time.
And just when you’re in the mood for some beer, you look at the time and it’s 10 to 10.. Of course the pubs can stay open until 11
Couldn’t agree more the bloody country is a joke on hols in algarve wine grocery’s so cheap rip of Ireland a live and well were so been ripped off prescriptions etc quarter the price know where I’ll be living when I retire
I really don’t mind the high tax on beer or cigarettes. We really don’t understand social drinking in this country. If you are feeling the effects in your pocket you are drinking too much.
Really? So if I am feeling the effects of being ripped off at the petrol pump, despite oil being at an all time low, am I simply just overfilling my tank? Ball locks.
I never bought alcohol or most food products in the Republic, slways went to Enniskillen, much cheaper.
Aging L, I got fed up bring ripped off so I left, if you are in the position to do the same it will save you a fortune moving to Spain or Portugal!
Yaaay!
Whatever about tobacco and fuel, drinking is a part of Irish culture, I say embrace it rather than try to destroy it
The price of drink in Ireland is outrageous. It’s crazy that you can get a bottle of Irish whiskey cheaper abroad.
With 12.5% corporate tax they have to get money to pay dole, and public sector pensions somewhere
What the hell has this got to do with public sector pensions? You’ll be on about water meters or your man in Prison in Egypt next! Phtah!
I suppose you think that the multinationals are here because of our superior brain power. The amount of people they employ makes up for any lack of revenue from corporation tax. They have to pay prsi and so do the employees not to mention the tax and usc the employees pay. Make no mistake about it they will pull out if we raise it on them.
So funny that you said that frank, I am literally in Newark airport buying 2 bottles of Jameson for my aunt back home. The price of alcohol is outrageous.
Vincent that is wrong. Apple employ 4,000 in Ireland. They would be a long time paying employers prsi to make up the 19bn in unpaid taxes that Edna and the boys don’t want.
The majority of this higher average is taxation..Therefore this is driven by the government..motor excise, fuel excuse, alcohol excise..the list goes on. Our own governments have and are the main instigators of this wholesale rip off
And unfortunately it won’t end. How do we pay for social welfare and hospitals and public services? I hate the fact its so high but we have what a tax base of about 2 millions people?
Small tax base and highest paid politicians in the first world. Hardly a good mix for stability.
I can’t ever imagine rip off Ireland going away, and frankly that depresses me.
Can anyone tell me an item that costs less here or is the cheapest in the EU to buy. How anyone thinks that the EU is working for ireland is beyond me.
Currently possibly and I’m open to correction on this but just maybe maybe water?
Well all the items mentioned are cheaper in Ireland than Sweden! No drink deals here, state run and controlled off licenses.
Bread/milk and cheese 30-60% dearer too
I think we’ve a higher average wage than most EU countries which would offset the cost of certain items. The EU also gave us a large chunk of money to tbuild us a decent motorway network. Couldn’t have happened without the EU.
The cost of most of those items actually has nothing to do with the EU, it’s Irish taxes that push up the prices.
What’s the average wage in Sweden? Think you’ll find it higher than Ireland.
Look at the income tax rate in Sweden!
Kerry. You know very well that the local property tax was given to irish water as was motor tax and a portion of vat. The amount that they wanted to charge us was above the EU average as well. If your foolish enough to think that in water services we are cheaper than everywhere else well then is it any wonder we rank so badly on the scale of goods as compared to other European union countries. Wake up please.
How many big corps pay taxes here. How many in Sweden?
Actually Aoife, the water bills that were actually issued by Irish water were by far the cheapest in Europe.
Tongue in cheek Aoife.
That was after the service charge was scrapped and the inducement to pay ” eurostats finding” and the cap was to be lifted in 2018 so as with the bin charges we could look forward to rise after rise. You obviously are either in fianna Gail or labour or work for irish water. People aren’t stupid
Not to mention public services in Sweden that are on a different planet to this country.
Think again.
Their taxes are also on another planet!
Try driving from Limerick to Cork
Penneys clothes
Aoife,
A pint in London is between 4.50 and 5.50 sterling which is more expensive and petrol and diesel are more expensive in the UK. I am currently putting a new kitchen in my house and I was going to get all my appliances in the UK. Its cheaper to buy the identical products in PowerCity or Harvey Norman than anywhere I can find in the UK. I was in London last week and bought a roll and a coffee in Pret and is was 6 GBP. All the Scandinavian countries are more expensive, Paris is way more expensive. However, I was in Madrid a few weeks ago and it was dirt cheap, even in the tourist areas
“Can anyone tell me an item that costs less here or is the cheapest in the EU to buy. How anyone thinks that the EU is working for ireland is beyond me.”
The price of alcohol has nothing to do with the EU. The irish government set the price. Honestly, is there f’ing nothing you won’t blame the EU for?!
Exactly Phil. The article doesn’t mention the anything about minimum wages in EU countries, and how we have the 4th highest minimum wage in the EU, and very generous social welfare. Its all well and good saying things cost less in Bulgaria, where there minimum wage is €1.28 per hour.
Look at their services. You can see where the extra money goes.
Just calculated my new bin charges due to pay by weight, was a reasonable €330/year now it will be over €550, and that is based of the historical weight given by the bin company, more rip off Ireland
Bejesus I forgot about the bins going up in price as well. Thankfully they can’t tax us for the air we breed yet,though it probably won’t be long before they find a way.
Oh MOD!………it’s going to save you money!(AK said so)……..if you can’t/don’t count.
(Breathe)even
You can thank the incredibly stupid half wit, Kelly for that. The monumentally idiotic moron.
Alan Kelly, classic example of naked ambition and stupidity, what a moron.
Technically they do and it relates to the price of alcohol. Bear with me here….
The average unit of measurement in a pub is a pint. That’s an imperial pint which equates to 568ml.
In Ireland, that measurement is to the rim of the pint glass in most cases (not all).
Most beer that people drink has about a 10-20cm head on top, and a head is made up of air basically, usually carbon dioxide and sometimes nitrogen for nitro products like Guinness. There’s no beer there, no alcohol. You are still paying tax on that head.
I mentioned not all glassware is a “pint to the rim” measurement. Some glassware has a pint to line marking with extra space for a head. That way, you get the full pint of beer. They are rare in Ireland but do exist. If you see a Franciscan Well branded tankard for instance, they typically have a pint to line marking. There are a few others too.
Oh and that was in reply to Paul about his comment on taxing air.
Does the charge include the weight of the bin?
Um they do Paul. It’s called carbon tax.
But a lovely cosy Snug in Government Buildings where prices are probably the lowest and you can run up a nice little tab if you like, the more I think of it the funnier it gets…….then I get angry and have a beer
Ireland has the highest on everything petrol diesel cigarettes food cars motor tax car insurance the list goes on and on
Petrol and diesel is more expensive in the UK and a pint of beer is more expensive in London than Dublin
I was in London recently and found it surprisingly cheap.. Dublin is way more expensive and a lot less attractive than London.
And FG want more…
Our wealth is 5% below eu average…
Interesting
Well there’s a surprise!
Home Brew
Treasure Ireland.
Are we suprised-NO.
Apparently we give those unemployed to much social welfare. Maybe those who claim that should look at the cost of staple diet requirements in this country.
Too much not to much
Wow well done Fran what a valid point.
What point are you trying to make Kerry?
Loads of people posting here say the unemployed get to much maybe looking at the cost for buying bread, cereals, meat, milk, cheese and eggs here might make them reconsider rather then suggesting its all spent on alcohol?
Thanks Kerr.
Ok so look at the social welfare available in the countries with lower prices, or the average wage in say Spain or Portugal? They are pretty low.
A 700cl bottle of Black Bush is 27Leva here in supermarkets in Burgas, that’s approx 13.50 euro. A half liter bottle of beer in a restaurant is 50-60 cents.
Ah but sure Ireland is curing the alcohol abuse problem with the mental prices. Right?????????
Well the government need all our money……any way they can robs us will do
Why they steal our power!!
I haven’t been this shocked since I found out that the moon landings were faked.
Just to shock you further – they weren’t faked!
Ah Larry. Next you’ll be telling me that shape-shifting reptilian aliens controlling Earth by taking on human form and gaining political power to manipulate human societies isn’t true, either.
Sorry, Uncle Monty, and Chtulhu and Atlantis are myths too.
The reason the prices are so high are not for health reasons, it is down to lobbying from publicans and some are involved in politics. The latest price increase will not help the exchequer , health or family incomes, just publicans to allow them to hike their prices. The same reason off-licence opening hours coincide with pubs except for closing time when you have to go to the pub if you want an expensive drink after 10 pm. Corrupt the whole lot of them.
Man switch to weed.
You should try here in Sweden! Everything is dearer than Ireland
Do u miss home Niall?
yeah but you have a health and social welfare system to talk about!
Well Sweden has to pay for all those migrants Sweden seems to love, somehow.
And the income tax rates to pay for it
I was wondering who’d be stupid enough to blame the migrants… Here comes Larry L’idiot
Not anymore
Is childcare more expensive in Sweden. About 1k per month per child in Ireland.
@prousse
Interesting that you had the migrants in mind….
That’s all you could come up with…
Speaking as a teetotaller I have to say …..I honestly don’t care.
Alcohol is a luxury.
If you can afford to drink then you actually have nothing to complain about.
We need these high prices or we’d be drunk all the time.
The only thing stopping us is the cost.
The only thing stopping you.
That’s like saying without religion I would kill humans. Those who drink will find a way, the rest of us will just pay through the nose.
Typical .. Nanny state excuses for more revenue .. Just look at the price of petrol & diesel
If you can afford A Pint you can afford to pay more taxes, Now were did I hear that before
It depends on what your buying, pints of beer are a lot more expensive in Italy and France than Ireland.
What about buying bread, cereals, meat, milk, cheese and eggs?
I was just talking about “alcohol”, but there is no breakdown in the article as to what type of alcohol, or where it’d bought, in a pub/off license/super market.
I was looking at a nice bottle of wine I bought in spain lastcyear, €3.95 in Spain, last week it was €12.95 in tescos, the exact same bottle of wine. And I know tescos had this cheaper around easter, I think it was €7. Mind you the price of eggs had gone up 50cent for 6 that week. The bid retailers only play with prices? Getting 49c veg this week? Check the price of pasta and bread or fish. Or the sauces you need.
Eggs are very cheap as is bread.Dairy is expensive though.
I think in France it’s mostly only younger people who socialise in pubs, and in my experience, it’s not to get sloshed. Alcohol in the supermarkets is way cheaper. And poor functionning alcoholics can be so without getting financially ruined.They can get a bottle of wine for 1,50c and a can of 8% lager/dishwater for 80c. Alcoholism in France is judged on the ability to abstain and/or how people handle it. Drunkenness is generally frowned on, as it is in Italy I believe.
Excise is a tax , eh yeah, it’s a tax.
You don’t have to buy drink – if the price offends you walk away.
What about buying bread, cereals, meat, milk, cheese and eggs????????????
What about them? Not related to drink prices
Eh they were mentioned in this article or did you just rise to your own small minded view?
Kerry..the gov make no revenue from essentials. They dont care what the supermarket charges for eggs or milk. The do care about alcohol coz thats where the theiving finance minister baaaasterds make their money. And its off normal responsible drinkers. There is currently nearly 70% tax on a bottle of wine. And petrol. We pay the gov for the priveledge of driving our own cars. Numerous taxes on cars. My thinking, and call it mad as you like, bring the sweedish governing party down here and we should all vote for them.
Don’t forget about 23% VAT on bottled water…..apparently, it’s a luxury not to drink the stuff that comes out of your tap.
Don’t forget jenni….bottled water has 23% VAT, because it’s a luxury not to drink the stuff that comes out of your tap.
OK, mega rural internet lag……..23% VAT on that too. :(
Al..theres hundreds of examples..keep them coming..
Not at all surprised by the statistics that we rank as such an expensive country. Our governments over the years have thought of every way imaginable to create new and increase existing taxes. The high price of alcohol has caused serious social issues, people can’t afford to go out for a social drink on a regular basis so when they do get out binge drink instead, causing the usual problems associated with binge drinking, or worse again they drink at home prior to a night out where there is no control on the measures they consume., and no benefit to pubs around the country who created employment and a social meeting place. Our government are blind to the facts or maybe just don’t want to see the problems they cause.
first world problems
I think you’ll find most of the above items are available, and much cheaper, in third world countries…..so your comment makes no sense.
But not in Middle Eastern Countries….
Cost of living in Ireland is too expensive. Taxed too much by government directly and indirectly.
I think they are talking about supermarket prices
And for weak beer too. It’s a captive market, govts can basically do what they want.
And we’re one of the biggest exporters of dairy in the world! Poor farmers me arse!
Ireland has most expensive prices for almost anything you can name it – not just alcohol…
Good time to go tee total then. Save yourself a fortune and increase your health
Its definitely true. I’ve bought alcohol on holidays in Spain and Germany for almost half the price of Ireland.
And they wonder why we get paid more than the average European. You would starve (if hypothermia didn’t get you first) if we weren’t.
Great news, now let’s increase the prices more to reduce consumption to acceptable levels.
I thought Sweden did.
Thats how we like it. Good and expensive. Maybe when they knock on your door next time you might ask them some actual questions.
Must be supply and demand?
The article is very misleading, as it doesn’t mention that we have the 4th highest minimum wage in the EU. Its not the EU that sets the prices here, its down to the country. Bulgaria’s minimum wage is €1.28 per hour, as the cost of living is so cheap there.
You will do well in the Dail if you tax them all…….
So just don’t buy it. It’s bad for you, anyway. Simple.
have your say