The Minister for Health has received a frosty reception from delegates at the annual conference of the Irish Nurses Organisation in Co Cavan.
The outgoing President of the INO has been hitting out at Mary Harney and the Health Service Executive for cutbacks in the health service.
Madeleine Spiers is describing the HSE as an unyielding bureaucracy, which neglects the needs of patients.
She received a standing ovation from more than 380 delegates when she attacked the HSE for its attitude towards nurses.
In her speech this afternoon she claimed "The HSE - in its approach, behaviour and attitude towards 45,000 nurses and midwives when we engaged in our work-to-rule - was nothing short of disgraceful.
Ms Spiers underlined her point by saying "shame on the HSE and shame on their management."
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