Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy says, I preside over a health service that has seen more than 90% of GPs - the front-line doctors in our communities - accept the new agreement and contract that I have put to them. It is probably unheard of to achieve such massive acceptance of a deal, in this case one which will invest €210 million more in general practice. I preside over a health service that has seen our nurses in overwhelming numbers vote in favour of a new nursing contract that will see their pay increase but will also see their work practices change. I preside over a health service that is seeing more consultants work in it this year than last year, and more than in the last five years, to the tune of several hundred.

We have more to do. I believe that, sequentially, much progress has been made with regard to GPs and nursing and midwifery. Consultants are the next issue. I have met the IHCA directly here in Leinster House in relatively recent weeks and my Department has had a number of follow-on engagements with it as well. I have met the IMO and I have addressed its conference in regard to the issue. I and Government colleagues now want to take the Public Service Pay Commission recommendation of putting a process in place to talk about how we address the recruitment issues but I am making the point that, as in any negotiation, both sides will have asks. There are views in regard to pay on the consultant side but there will also be views in regard to work practice changes and the delivery of Sláintecare on our side. I hope and expect to make progress on that in the autumn.

See this speech in context