Mr. Michael Kelly:

The thinking on that issue came from a question we asked ourselves about agency staff. We asked why many nurses and midwives find agency positions more attractive than full-time positions. The answer at one level relates to pay and increments. Another part is that agency staff are not required to pay the pension contribution. The third part is about flexibility and the freedom to work under a more flexible regime. The report states that a nurse providing a contribution with flexible hours is far more valuable than a nurse not participating in the workforce. The modalities of addressing this are a matter for discussion between the parties. We could not get into that issue.