The union's director of professional services, Tony Fitzpatrick, said nurses regularly report working in understaffed wards.

The INMO said that in March, healthcare unions were "assured" that the recruitment of posts would be a priority for the HSE, but "it is clear this couldn't be further from the case".

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said racially motivated abuse of workers should not be tolerated.

The Royal College of Nursing Northern Ireland has collected memories of nurses involved in the Second World War.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation said over 121,526 patients have gone without hospital beds this year