Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

My colleagues on the Fianna Fáil backbenches are entitled, when they receive representations from interest groups, to report what those groups have said to them, and they did no more than that. They raised no criticism whatsoever of the Minister for Health and Children, me or the Minister for Finance, who outlined Government policy in this area. There is not a different viewpoint from the Minister for Health and Children, the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance. Our stated position has been the same throughout the negotiations on this issue.

In my capacity as Leader of Fianna Fáil, I met both the INO and the Psychiatric Nurses Association, as requested, to explain the position and try to help them in the difficulties. The Minister, Deputy Harney, has been in negotiations for a number of months and is doing everything she can to help the nurses. There is no criticism whatsoever of the efforts made——

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