Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not wish to engage in a back and forth about industrial relations matters on the floor of the Dáil because I want there to be serious engagement between my Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, where appropriate, and the INMO in advance of its executive meeting on 5 November to see if there is a way forward. I must respect an agreement that the vast majority of public servants have signed up to, namely, the PSSA, to which ICTU has signed up, which is only a new agreement but which sees many benefits for people across the public service.

I accept there are recruitment and retention challenges, especially the latter in the case of people working in the health service. There are a number of measures in place to try to assist with this in the PSPC. I had hoped they would be accepted in order that we could have further engagement along the lines the PSPC references already in its reports. The Deputy is right when she says we need more nurses working in our health services. They are key to the delivery of Sláintecare and I hope a resolution can be found. It will require engagement, however, that takes place in the context of respecting the PSSA.

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