Dr. Matthew Sadlier:

The salary of €190,000 is at point nine of that scale for someone appointed post-2012. The Deputy is referring to what has been suggested multiple times as the Sláintecare contract salary scales. That has not happened, however, for anybody appointed post-2012 and we are still offering the contract today.

This is not so much about the quantum of money. I was appointed in December 2012, so I just got in at the very start of this process. My point concerns people working in a job side-by-side with other people who have identical responsibilities, hours and levels of stress and pressure but who are earning 40% more. As Ms Ní Sheaghdha pointed out earlier regarding the similar nursing situation, this cut was on top of the 10% cut. In reality, therefore, the vast majority of people on the new salary scale are being paid 40%, not 30%, less than their colleagues.