Joe McHugh (Fine Gael)

I am struck by the emotive nature of the Minister of State's response. This is not a like-for-like demand. I am talking about a woman or a man who has worked in the nursing profession for perhaps 25 or 30 years. One cannot compare somebody with the skills and expertise of a nurse with a junior doctor just starting his or her career, who may also have to work 39 hours per week. Looking at different levels is a dangerous road to go down. The Minister of State knows, as he stated at the end of his response, the value of the contributions nurses make.