Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

SIPTU has begun to ballot 17,000 hospital support staff over the implementation of pay rises following the evaluation of individual roles. A firm commitment was made to SIPTU, which has abided by the terms of the Lansdowne Road agreement, negotiated freely in 2015. The roles of those members of staff were to be evaluated and that has occurred. My understanding is that the Department of Health and the HSE wish to fulfil the obligation. There has been a blanket refusal, however, by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to comply with the solemnly agreed terms of the Lansdowne Road agreement to the effect that this relatively low-paid grade of workers would have its skills re-evaluated by an independent mechanism and that the results of that mechanism would involve regrading. That has been done but it has yet to be implemented. It would be a disastrous decision to allow all these ancillary support grades to go on strike for want of the Government complying with its freely entered-into agreement.

My question is straightforward and direct. Will the Taoiseach ensure that solemn agreements, such as the Lansdowne Road agreement, which were important in maintaining public services through crises, will be fully supported by the Government and implemented to the letter of the agreement, as they have been by SIPTU workers?

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