News of the sudden closure of the Mount Carmel private maternity hospital came as a severe blow to its 300 staff, more than 80 of whom are IMPACT members.

IMPACT official Stephen O’Neill met liquidators appointed to the hospital after the closure was announced, as unions sought to explore any possible options to keep the hospital open. “It became clear that the closure was moving ahead, with redundancies to commence almost immediately,” he said.

The union had a permanent presence at the hospital after the closure was announced, providing practical assistance to ensure that staff received all their entitlements and to assist with individual queries and information on job-seeking and social welfare entitlements.

Stephen said IMPACT members were understandably hurt. “This is the worst possible news they could have received. Mount Carmel has an outstanding reputation as a maternity hospital. That reputation is built on the expertise of the staff. It makes no sense that maternity services in Ireland should lose this pool of knowledge and experience. It’s a source of genuine anger that the hospital is facing closure in these circumstances. These workers – and the people they serve – deserve better,” he said.

He added that IMPACT had approached other health employers to see what employment options were available. RTÉ subsequently reported that a number of hospitals were holding recruitment sessions for staff at Mount Carmel.