The Minister for Mental Health has warned of a looming staff crisis in the service, with the possible retirement of well over a thousand nurses by June.

Kathleen Lynch says the HSE is actively trying to encourage those eligible to retire to stay on, while asking those who emigrated to return.

The Minister says she informed the Taoiseach of the matter yesterday, and described it as "very, very challenging".

“We are hoping to encourage a substantial number of them to stay on.

"It's across all areas but mental health will be hardest hit.

"The experience these people have acquired is invaluable - and that is why we are hoping they will stay on - to pass on the information”.

Meanwhile Kathleen Lynch has also criticised Fine Gael, and Minister Simon Coveney in particular, of being 'disloyal' for suggesting Fine Gael could go into coalition with Fianna Fáil. 

You can listen to the full interview here:

Des Kavanagh, General Secretary of the Psychiatric Nurses Association, welcomed the Minister's comments: "I want to welcome the Minister's remarks because it's the first time I heard a realistic appraisal of the situation in the last number of years.

"Here at the fore, we are continually hearing a defence of the impact of the moratorium. Now it's been realised we're gone past a tipping point, we're in a real crisis which is going to get worse. They've closed numerous of units around the country, they've reduced staffing and we can't go any further without more nurses.

"Keeping the ones that are there, it's very difficult because people are exhausted trying to work short staffed. They can't wait to retire."

His full interview is here: