Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

In the context of the programme for Government and industrial relations in the health service, I wish to reflect on today's strike which represents the dysfunctionality of human resource management in the health service. Yesterday the Taoiseach said the Government had accepted the outcome of the job evaluation scheme and the recommendations made and was prepared to pay. The only issues seemed to be implementation and the timelines. When I said the strike would have been averted by the payment of a couple of million euro, it was in that context because the Government has stated it is willing to pay and accepts the outcome of the job evaluation, yet the Taoiseach said the issues were the timelines and implementation in the next few years. He said payments would start in 2019. I think Deputy Howlin suggested the offer was €1 million.

See this speech in context