Two nurses at St Brigid's Psychiatric Hospital in Ballinasloe have been suspended without pay after refusing to obey HSE directions to close a 'pre-discharge' therapy ward at the hospital.

Ongoing cutbacks at the hospital over the last number of months had lead to nurses deciding not to cooperate with further closures.

On Friday morning, two nurses on duty in the ward were told to close it and move to other wards, but refused. They were then told they were to be suspended without pay.

One of the nurses, Noreen Kenny, who has worked on the ward for ten years and in St Brigid's for 35 years, said she had had enough of cutbacks that affected patient care.

"I have been 35 years in this job and it has finally got to me. These are the forgotten people. They aren't locked away any more, but they are still forgotten. I spoke to one patient yesterday who has been attending for almost 40 years. She said to me, 'I have nowhere to go now. Nobody wants me.'

"These are vulnerable people – what is going to become of them?

The 'pre-discharge' ward is particularly busy at this time of year, according to Ms Kenny.

"Our motto in the ward is 'helping you to help yourself'. We have between 20 and 30 patients daily depending on admissions, and it's always busy at this time of year, just after Christmas. Patients with suicidal tendencies are, unfortunately, very, very, common."

Speaking to the Galway Independent last night, Des Kavanagh of the Psychiatric Nurses Association said that the matter is due to be discussed by the Labour Relations Commission today at 3pm. He said that he hoped the HSE would respect the procedure.

"The nurses were given a letter of suspension, but this was examined by my colleague who found that it was issued in the name of the Director of Nursing. The Director of Nursing doesn't have the power to suspend staff, so the letter was illegal," he claimed.