Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

With regard to the requirement of the Taoiseach's Department to oversee the implementation of social partnership, in which the Taoiseach has had a long involvement, I made the point some years ago that a one-size-fits-all benchmarking process leading to social partnership does not fit all circumstances. The current work to rule by nurses is in full swing and in this respect nurses, patients and taxpayers will all suffer. Obviously, intransigence on either side can lead to stalemate, to more serious action or to a situation where everybody loses. With regard to responsibility to oversee implementation of social partnership, what is the role of the Taoiseach's Department in setting sufficiently flexible criteria under the benchmarking process to allow for matters to be put on the table that could be negotiated and discussed and which could lead to the social partnership criteria being fulfilled?

In other words, there is a problem today with 40,000 nurses and the negotiation process cannot even get started. The point I made three years ago was that the benchmarking process was not sufficiently flexible to cater for such circumstances. Does the Taoiseach's Department have a responsibility or role in opening up the criteria for negotiation so those with legitimate grievances, from whatever sector, are able to say the process allows them to put their grievances on the table and discuss them? Is this possible if, for example, the nursing organisations say they are prepared to change practices and become more efficient etc., leaving aside the two fundamental issues at stake from their point of view? If they cannot get through the starting gate to discuss these things, what is the responsibility of the Taoiseach's Department in so far as broadening the criteria for benchmarking is concerned?

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