Catherine Byrne (Dublin South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

On behalf of the Minister, I thank Deputies Ó Caoláin and Joan Collins for raising this issue today. As we all know, this matter relates to a branch of the Psychiatric Nurses Association called the National Ambulance Service Representative Association, NASRA. This group has engaged in industrial action on five dates since the action initiated on 22 January. NASRA members again engaged in industrial action for a sixth day yesterday. By way of background, members of NASRA represent approximately 350 front-line ambulance personnel out of a total National Ambulance Service workforce of 1,800. I understand that they are mostly based in Cork, the south east and Tullamore.

The HSE and the National Ambulance Service, NAS, have confirmed that again, robust contingency was in place to ensure that there was no risk to the health and safety of our health service users yesterday. The HSE has confirmed that full emergency cover was provided during the action. This means that all emergency calls were responded to. In addition, the National Ambulance Service put robust contingency arrangements in place to provide additional emergency cover. The Defence Forces also made crewed ambulances available, 15 of which were deployed. The intention, as previously, is to minimise any disruption and to ensure that patient safety is not compromised.

As with the other dates of industrial action, National Ambulance Service management closely monitored service demand and delivery. The NAS has confirmed that there was no negative impact on the ability of the service to provide patient care and service delivery during the industrial action. What this means is that there were no adverse incidents. It is important to again state the factual position in relation to this dispute. The National Ambulance Service Representative Association, which is affiliated with the PNA, is a group which is not recognised by the HSE and, therefore, does not have negotiating rights. Also, the PNA does not have negotiating rights for ambulance personnel. The legal position is very clear. The HSE and the National Ambulance Service have no obligation to recognise NASRA or the PNA for ambulance personnel. The PNA, which is a non-Irish Congress of Trade Unions, ICTU, affiliated union, has negotiating rights for nurses working in psychiatry and intellectual disability sectors.

The main union which is recognised by the HSE for ambulance front-line grades is SIPTU. Fórsa and Unite the Union also represent ambulance grades. The HSE deducts subscriptions at source for those ambulance staff who are members of SIPTU, Fórsa and Unite the Union. This is consistent with the fact that these are the unions that are recognised as representing ambulance grades. The HSE does not carry out deductions for subscriptions to NASRA, as it is not recognised. It should be noted that facilitating deductions at source is not a legal right, rather it is a concession granted to recognised unions.

Of course, individuals have a right to membership of any trade union. However, they do not have a right that such membership is facilitated or recognised by their employer. The Minister, Deputy Harris, has asked his officials to engage with HSE management to explore ways forward to see if a resolution to this dispute can be progressed. These discussions are ongoing. However, as of today, the fact remains that the PNA does not have negotiating rights for ambulance grades.

The last paragraph of the reply is on how officials are engaged in exploring the dispute. This is the answer I have been given but I will revert back to that in a moment.

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