Barry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his good wishes. I apologise for my voice this morning. Before the Tánaiste, Deputy Coveney, or anybody else starts tweeting, I wish to point out I have a sore throat. I ask the Minister to bear with me.

I thank the Minister for his answer. Notwithstanding the catastrophic scandal involving the HSE, CervicalCheck and the Department of Health, it was refreshing to hear some of the victims of that scandal speak highly about the nursing and other front-line staff in their dealings with them in very trying circumstances in recent times.

I raised this issue with the Minister last week during Questions on Promised Legislation. We are into the first year of the pay deal to which the Minister referred. There is an understanding on the part of the INMO, for example, that the recommendations of the pay commission on difficulties with recruitment and retention in its field would be adopted by Government and would kick in during the second year of the three-year deal. I am led to believe that has been clarified in correspondence from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. Will the Minister confirm that is the case? Will he confirm that nurses, midwives, hospital consultants and personnel in the Air Corps, as part of the recommendations of the pay commission in response to the challenge that has been placed upon them, will be making recommendations to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and that Government will have a responsibility under the pay agreement signed and agreed last year for implementation in year two of the three-year deal?

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