Joan Collins (Dublin South Central, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I want to preface my comments by saying that the Minister, Deputy Harris, has stated publicly a number of times that he wants to see a resolution of this dispute through dialogue and not through confrontation. The PNA and ambulance personnel members, including paramedics, advanced paramedics and emergency medical technicians, were left with no option in this dispute but to take strike action on six days, with one 24-hour strike on 31 May. Despite this clear demonstration of the resolve and determination of those ambulance members, they still face into a dispute.

The Minister stated on a number of occasions that he would ask his officials to meet with the HSE to review and to resolve this dispute. In a letter of reply to us - five Deputies from the Opposition - on 12 April, he said he was going to ask his Department officials to discuss this with the HSE. We want to know where those discussions are at. Are they moving on? The WRC invited the HSE three times to enter into negotiations and it has refused which is outrageous. The HSE should attend the Labour Court or WRC.

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