Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The Tánaiste will be aware that the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, is holding its annual conference in Cork. It has made it very clear that the issue of pay is central to addressing the crisis in the recruitment and retention of nursing professionals. The crisis is having a severe effect on the hospital network, including community hospitals. There is broad agreement that if we are to see the issue being addressed, the issue of pay has to be central. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance supported a Sinn Féin motion which was passed unanimously by the House last week that examined and proposed solutions to the crisis. When will the Government sit down with nurses to address the fundamental issue of pay?

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