Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Yes, to follow up on the point made by Deputy Louise O'Reilly, private hospitals are offering young professional nurses bonuses of €5,000 in addition to what they are currently earning if they sign a contract. The Government is not showing respect to 600 nurses and midwives who reached an agreement with the Health Service Executive. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform made the same payment to nurses who graduated in 2016. The Government is showing disrespect to graduates who stayed here for five years and held the health service together during the worst of conditions and times. A memorandum should not be needed. The payment agreed with the Department of Health and HSE should be made immediately. This is scandalous.

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