Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Can a timeframe be agreed that would permit the phasing in by a certain date of the 35 hour week and allow any pay claims to be dealt with by the existing machinery? Is that not the broad parameter of a settlement to this dispute? Ultimately, there must be a settlement. Why risk further alienating nurses whose work at the coalface is essential? Whoever is to blame for the shambles that is the health service, it is not the nurses.

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