Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

It went on for nine days and was ultimately resolved in the Labour Court at huge inconvenience to patients. I do not want that to happen again. I certainly would not like to see a repeat of 1999 when a strike went on for nine days. I believe it can be resolved. That requires engagement and the Government is open for engagement through the WRC. However, it can only be resolved in a way that is affordable for taxpayers and fair to all public servants with whom we have a pay deal already. We have to honour that deal. We are not in a position to break it by doing a special deal with one group of staff and saying to the others that there is nothing for them. That would not be right. They are the parameters under which this can be resolved and I am sure that if all sides accept those parameters, we can resolve this dispute swiftly.

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