Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Arising from the Taoiseach's reply, I remind him of the terms of the letter of 9 March 2007 which he sent to the Irish Nurses Organisation indicating that the Government representatives and the Minister for Health and Children would involve themselves in the intensive discussion process and would be as open and creative as possible in achieving outcomes for the benefit of nurses and patients alike. What was the political mandate given to the NIB in those discussions? It appears, and I do not have access to all the information, as if the creativeness and openness was coming from only one side. Will the Taoiseach indicate one or two examples of the openness and the creativity that was coming with the political imperative, through the NIB, to achieve the reductions of which he speaks? In other words, there was a three week process of intensive discussions. In his letter the Taoiseach indicated that the Minister for Health and Children and the NIB would be open and creative in the way in which it went about this. Can he give examples of that openness and creativity, against the background of a dispute which nobody wants to escalate and which, as I said during questions to the Taoiseach, does not help patient, nurse or taxpayer?

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