The national body representing all people with disabilities throughout the State has called for nurses and consultants to exercise restraint to ensure that the sick and most vulnerable do not get hurt.
The umbrella organisation PwDI (People with Disabilities Ireland) was responding to the latest escalation of the seven-week old nurses' strike, as nurses throughout the State's health facilities and hospitals walked off wards for a period of three hours.
Mental health services at Portrane in north Dublin, Kildare and Sligo were hit by the stoppages
"We are hearing reports from around the country of how people are being adversely affected by the current nurses' dispute," PwDI chief executive Michael Ringrose said.
"Since the system is already stretched with staff and bed shortages, this dispute is making an already fraught situation even more difficult.
"While we respect the right of all groups within our society to take industrial action, nonetheless, we are now saying is it not time in this particular dispute to call a halt in the interests of patients?" said Mr Ringrose.