Members of the Psychiatric Nurses Association have voted in favour of industrial action, in response to the recruitment and retention crisis in the health service.
Up to 95% of their members voted in favour of taking action, up to and including strike action.
A plan for industrial action will be presented to the PNA Board at its next meeting on January 10.
The PNA is calling on both the Department of Health and the HSE to engage with them in a bid to avert the need for industrial action.