Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I raise the proposed reforms in the roles and responsibilities report for the National Ambulance Service. As the Tánaiste will be aware, this time next week, SIPTU members and the National Ambulance Service are due to ballot for industrial action because the pay claim in relation to the proposed reforms is not being progressed. This report began with management in the HSE and the National Ambulance Service in line with the workers. There are a whole host of reforms across the National Ambulance Service, including increased pay scales, more ambulances, and doubling the numbers of workers. An awful lot of service level arrangements have and are being implemented but the pay levels have not been reformed. It is the view of SIPTU, and one which I support, that the business case for this is not a pay claim; this is from management. The management needs to find the money for these reforms as it is the management's plan that is being implemented and it should fall outside the Building Momentum negotiations.

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