Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government's view is that it agrees with the comments of the pay commission that this disparity is having an impact. We would like to see it addressed. That has to be done on a phased basis because of the economic impact. We already have made very significant strides in addressing the issues affecting consultants' pay, with very significant investment in trying to bring that up to speed. We want to address the new consultants issue but it has to come on a step-by-step basis as we are addressing the nurses' and general practitioners' issues. We cannot do it all in one quick-fix solution. The Government has expressed its desire to see that issue addressed but we have to do it within the terms of the existing pay agreement. We cannot work outside that. We have to do it within the infrastructure that is available to us.

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