Members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) have voted in favour of the Haddington Road proposals on pay and reform in the public sector.

Following a nationwide ballot, they voted by 71% to 29% in favour of the proposals.

Last week, the country's largest trade union, SIPTU, which has around 45,000 health service workers as members, also voted to accept the proposals.

The INMO said that it will now engage with health service management with regard to the changes and adjustments which now need to be implemented as part of the agreement.

Commenting on the outcome of the ballot, INMO general secretary, Liam Doran, pointed out that this is the third time in five years that nurses and midwives ‘have suffered a reduction to their terms and conditions of employment'.

"This harsh reality must now be acknowledged by both government and health service management in the manner in which the changes provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement are now implemented," he insisted.