Senators:

Very good. The Minister is correct about nurses pay. If nurses were to have a 35 hour week it would mean they would be off for six weeks extra in a year. It would cause chaos in the health service if they cut back by four hours a week. We must be careful on this issue.

Senators:

Another cause of concern is the number of different trade unions involved in hospitals. The Minister may correct me if I am wrong but I understand there are 11 different trade unions in Waterford Regional Hospital. It must be a nightmare to negotiate with staff. As soon as agreement is reached with one group another would be out of kilter. I do not blame the Minister for this but I blame the Taoiseach who has allowed the situation to develop over the years. It is well and good to be cosy with the trade unions but one ultimately pays a price.