Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I agree with Deputy Michael McGrath that the threat of industrial action is not victimless. Undoubtedly, people would suffer if we were at that point. It is certainly something the Government and every Member wants to avoid. We do not want to be in that place.

I shared the deep disappointment of both the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Deputy Donohoe, and the Minister for Health, Deputy Harris, when they heard the outcome of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, executive committee meeting the other night. Significant efforts were made to resolve this issue by all sides, namely, the HSE, the Department and the INMO. Unfortunately, we still have a situation where the announcement was put forward and the INMO rejected the proposals. Every effort was made to reach agreement.

The Minister, the HSE and the INMO recognise the challenge of recruiting and retaining nurses in the public health system. It is no consolation to patients and those who use the health services that this is an international problem. However, the truth is that almost every public health service in the world is having the same difficulty in attracting nurses. It is an enormous challenge but one we are determined to meet.

The initiatives put forward at the discussions included a commitment to substantially increase the nurse and midwifery force in 2017 with 1,208 additional funded posts coming on stream, offering all graduate nurses and midwives full-time contracts, a career break scheme, 130 additional undergraduate places in 2017 and improved educational opportunities and career pathways. Obviously, it was felt this was not enough.

The next step is that there is a meeting this afternoon of the Lansdowne Road agreement oversight group. I encourage everybody involved to make every effort to come to an agreement on the issues which I have outlined. It is clear people have to engage seriously on this. There is time as the threatened action is several weeks away. I encourage everyone to get involved in these talks. The HSE and the Department remain open to detailed discussion to resolve the dispute to ensure we do not arrive at a point where, as the Deputy said rightly, patients would suffer.

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