Ninety nurses and midwives are to be recruited at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar following negotiations between local management and the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

According to the INMO, 64 staff nurses and 26 midwives will be hired, with initial interviews set to take place early next week.

INMO members had held a protest at the hospital in January in order to highlight the continuing problems of overcrowding and poor staffing. Following this, members had voted overwhelmingly in favour of a work to rule.

"The INMO welcomes the commitment to recruit 90 nurses and midwives in the hospital. This is a positive outcome for our members who have continued to struggle with unmanageable workloads on a daily basis due to persistent overcrowding and understaffing," commented INMO industrial relations officer, Derek Reilly.

The initiatives agreed with management will include:
-The recruitment of 26 staff midwives
-The recruitment of 10 staff nurses for the Emergency Department (ED)
-The recruitment of 15 staff nurses for general ward areas
-2015 nursing graduates will be offered permanent posts at 100% salary.

"We are now calling for these posts to be filled as an absolute priority in the interests of patient care and the nursing/midwifery staff striving to provide that care," Mr Reilly added.