Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Taoiseach has described for the House the role of his backbenchers as messengers and postmen and he has described how the benchmarking process works and what it was set up to do. He has also told us he has met the nurses and sympathises with them. We have all met the nurses and we all have admiration for the work they do. I am trying to establish what the Government's policy is on the resolution of this dispute. When the Taoiseach says he always adopts Labour Court recommendations is he saying benchmarking is the only way forward in terms of resolving this dispute? I think that is a straightforward question. The nurses want an answer to this as do we on this side of the House.

The Taoiseach has avoided the issue of runaway house prices that has led to unrest in many areas among middle and low income workers. He may set this matter aside if he wishes but I will put my question again. Is the Taoiseach saying, in line with requests from backbenchers and the Committee on Health and Children, that the Health Service Executive, HSE, should sit down and do business with the nurses or is he saying this can only be done through the benchmarking process? I will not get a second chance to speak on this matter and the question is straightforward. Is the Taoiseach saying to the nurses of Ireland that their dispute can be resolved, but only through the benchmarking process?

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