Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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In fairness to the Deputy, I shall develop the answer to the question he put to me. I am willing to work with the Department of Health and the HSE to consider ways in which the issue can be resolved, but I am not willing to put in place any measure that would undermine the national wage agreement. That has happened already in this Dáil in another part of the civil and public service. When in one part of the public service there is an increase in allowances or wages, within 24 hours there is an expectation that everybody else will receive the same. I imagine Deputy Boyd Barrett will say to me that that is what he would want to see happen, but the challenge I would face is paying for it. I do not want to see the national wage agreement unravel.