Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I thank the Ceann Comhairle's Office for selecting my Adjournment matter for discussion. I have tabled this matter today as we have received notice through the media of substantial industrial action commencing on Monday next, 1 March. I am seeking an assurance from the Minister of State that the Government has a plan of action to protect patients in the health services in the context of the proposed action. I also seek clarity from the Minister of State in regard to exactly what will happen; what discussions have been held between Government and representatives of the workers concerned and what information in this regard is available to the Government.

Clearly, the people most affected by this strike action will be patients and their families. It is stated in today's newspapers that a letter from IMPACT states the actions will include, refusal to take on work associated with all vacant posts; refusal to participant in work associated with the HSE's reconfiguration of services; a third proposed action in respect of political representations and refusal to answer telephones, including mobile phones for specific periods on a rotating basis. I would like clarification from the Minister of State in regard to exactly what this means. There are currently many vacant posts in the health services owing to the moratorium and as such the action in this regard could affect a wide range of services. Also, the reconfiguration is fairly embedded, in particular in my own region in the mid-west and in other parts of the country. It is important we know exactly of what the Government is aware in terms of what will happen and that there is absolute protection for patients to ensure this does not affect them and that they receive the services they need be they availing of hospital or any other services under the HSE. I would like the Minister of State to inform the House of the Government's plan of action to ensure the system works appropriately and that patients are protected.

I want to put on record that an opportunity existed to get an agreed programme of action in terms of reform of the system and of achieving substantial savings within the health services. Unfortunately, this opportunity was not taken up as the Government pulled out of talks in advance of the budget and decided on straightforward pay cuts rather than a negotiated agreement. I know from speaking with some of the representatives who were at the table that night that there was substantial agreement between the representatives of the health service workers and representatives of Government which would have achieved the fiscal savings required and would also have achieved a substantial plan of reform of the health services, which we all know is absolutely necessary. However, the opportunity to do so was missed. Now, rather than being well under way in terms of reforms, we are facing industrial action, which I understand will be escalated.

It is accepted reform will not happen in the immediate future and there is a danger that patients will be affected by industrial action. It is hoped that the Minister of State can inform the House of what will happen next Monday and what plans and procedures the Government has in place in this regard. In the longer term, we need to re-engage with workers. There are, however, certain conditions that will have to be met for that to happen. We need to return to the process of reform of the health services. I believe we could have a much more efficient and effective system if there was co-operation all round. It is my firm belief that such co-operation was available prior to the budget announced before Christmas. Unfortunately, that co-operation is not on the table now.

Áine Brady (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for giving me this opportunity to outline the Government's plans to protect patients in the context of the proposed escalation of industrial action across the health service next week. I also take this opportunity to speak in general terms about the ongoing industrial action underway across the entire public service.

The HSE received notice on 22 February from the trade union IMPACT of its intention to intensify its industrial action with effect from Monday next, 1 March.

The HSE was informed that, in addition to their existing actions, IMPACT members would refuse to take on work relating to any vacancy, not just those which have become vacant since the general industrial action commenced on 25 January 2010; refuse to participate in all work relating to the HSE's reconfiguration programme; refuse to deal with all political representations, including parliamentary questions and freedom of information requests; and refuse to answer telephones, including mobile telephones, for specified periods of time to be advised by the union with little advance notice to management. This will apply unless a specific derogation for emergency cover has been agreed with the union.

It is difficult at this point to know what the effect of these actions will be, but, obviously, the health service employers are very concerned about the potential impact that this intensification of the industrial action could have on services and patient safety. A meeting has been organised by the HSE with IMPACT tomorrow to clarify the nature of the action proposed and to seek derogations where it would be likely to affect patient safety.

The Minister's main concern is to ensure that the effect of the dispute on patient care is minimised as much as possible and so far this has been achieved. The HSE and the Department of Health and Children are monitoring the evolving situation carefully, in close co-operation with the Department of Finance.

There is no doubt that, following a period of rapid increases in funding, the health services are now facing the challenge of managing within much tighter resource constraints. There is scope within our health system, by reforming the way services are delivered, to achieve more through greater efficiency and concentrating on services that contribute most to people's health and well-being. There is an onus on all concerned - Government, management, trade unions and employees - to find a way of engaging on the reforms which are needed to deliver better services to patients.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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It does not seem as though there is a plan in place.