Frank Feighan (Sligo-Leitrim, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. On behalf of the Minister, I acknowledge and pay tribute to the dedication, professionalism and commitment of all medical scientists throughout the country. Medical scientists play a valued and vital role within our health service. Their drive and dedication have been key components in our management of the Covid-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, they were at the front line of the response, providing a crucial role in testing and this has not gone unnoticed.

I am acutely aware of the ongoing and long-standing claim for pay parity between medical scientists and clinical biochemists. Health management has been engaging with the Medical Laboratory Scientist Association on these issues at the Workplace Relations Commission under the terms of the current public service agreement, Building Momentum. As the MLSA is part of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, it is bound by the terms of the agreement for the remainder of its lifetime.

Building Momentum includes the process of sectoral bargaining to deal with all outstanding claims across the public sector. The bargaining fund equates to 1% of basic pensionable pay for each bargaining unit set up under the agreement. Under Building Momentum, sectoral bargaining is the sole mechanism through which the MLSA can advance its claim. The MLSA requested that it be facilitated with its own bargaining unit in the sectoral bargaining process in order to progress its claim for pay parity. As such, the MLSA has at its disposal a fund equivalent to 1% of basic pay of all medical scientists. While this fund is insufficient to fully resolve its long-standing claims, it can partially resolve the claim and the remainder could be addressed in a future public service agreement, as per the terms of Building Momentum. As I have stated previously, the MLSA and health management have been engaged in talks over the last number of months with the aim of finding a way to advance the claim through this sectoral bargaining process. Several options were explored during these talks, but to date, none has satisfactorily resolved the claim in full, within the terms set out under Building Momentum.

The public service agreement group, comprising union and Civil Service representatives and an independent chair, met on 11 May to consider the MLSA's claim for pay parity. It recommended that the matter be immediately referred to the Workplace Relations Commission and that industrial peace be maintained in the meantime. Health management met with the MLSA under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission on 17 May but, unfortunately, no resolution was reached. While the MLSA agreed to engage at the Workplace Relations Commission, it did not lift its industrial action, which is a breach of Building Momentum. It is disappointing that the strike went ahead yesterday, despite it being precluded under the agreement. I recognise the significant disruption caused by yesterday's strike and the impact it has had on the health service. The parties continue to engage under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission. The Department of Health and the HSE remain open to engagement with the MLSA, noting that we are compelled to resolve any disputes in compliance with the provisions allowed for under Building Momentum.

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