Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for giving me this opportunity to outline the Government's plans to protect patients in the context of the proposed escalation of industrial action across the health service next week. I also take this opportunity to speak in general terms about the ongoing industrial action underway across the entire public service.

The HSE received notice on 22 February from the trade union IMPACT of its intention to intensify its industrial action with effect from Monday next, 1 March.

The HSE was informed that, in addition to their existing actions, IMPACT members would refuse to take on work relating to any vacancy, not just those which have become vacant since the general industrial action commenced on 25 January 2010; refuse to participate in all work relating to the HSE's reconfiguration programme; refuse to deal with all political representations, including parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests; and refuse to answer telephones, including mobile telephones, for specified periods of time to be advised by the union with little advance notice to management. This will apply unless a specific derogation for emergency cover has been agreed with the union.

It is difficult at this point to know what the effect of these actions will be, but, obviously, the health service employers are very concerned about the potential impact that this intensification of the industrial action could have on services and patient safety. A meeting has been organised by the HSE with IMPACT tomorrow to clarify the nature of the action proposed and to seek derogations where it would be likely to affect patient safety.

The Minister's main concern is to ensure that the effect of the dispute on patient care is minimised as much as possible and so far this has been achieved. The HSE and the Department of Health and Children are monitoring the evolving situation carefully, in close co-operation with the Department of Finance.

There is no doubt that, following a period of rapid increases in funding, the health services are now facing the challenge of managing within much tighter resource constraints. There is scope within our health system, by reforming the way services are delivered, to achieve more through greater efficiency and concentrating on services that contribute most to people's health and well-being. There is an onus on all concerned - Government, management, trade unions and employees - to find a way of engaging on the reforms which are needed to deliver better services to patients.

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