Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Go raibh maith agat. Bhí mé ag éisteacht san oifig. I was listening very intently to Ms Prendergast in the office. Cuirim fáilte roimh an Fheisire de Pharlaimint na hEorpa. Is breá an rud duine dá leithéid a bheith anseo le labhairt linn.

It is somewhat ironic that Ms Prendergast is speaking to us today as a midwife at the same time as we have had a protest of midwives in the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, and the Psychiatric Nurses Association, PNA, outside Leinster House. It is a serious issue. I am pleased she alluded to the fact that she takes issue with what is going on. I am interested in hearing her views on the changes being introduced which appear to be draconian. Yesterday, ten new graduate contracts were terminated in Kerry General Hospital. Management is attempting to force graduates to become re-employed under the terms and conditions of the new contract. A war of attrition is going on between the Department and the INMO and student nurses.

The situation is appalling. I wonder whether it contravenes EU directives. Ms Prendergast indicated that we have the world?s best trained nurses. The students who spoke to us outside said they have no choice but to leave as they cannot afford to work for the money being offered to them. No new jobs are available. The students said it is being taken for granted that they would take a pay cut and work alongside other health professionals who might not have the same responsibilities but who would be paid more than them. I would welcome additional comments from Ms Prendergast on the issue. It is a European issue that goes to the heart of what is supposed to be the European model of equality and fairness.

Certain statements from the EU that have been made on youth unemployment have almost diverted attention from the situation. The European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Eurofound, puts the overall EU cost of not integrating young people into the labour market at ¤150 billion per year. However, rather than investing in young people, the EU prefers to throw billions of euro at failed and failing banks. Does Ms Prendergast agree that it is just rhetoric we hear from the European Parliament and Commission on youth unemployment or is real action taking place on the issue?

In her opening remarks Ms Prendergast referred to the whistleblower's Bill. I note that we have had draft heads of legislation in this country also. It is important that such legislation would be introduced so that people could speak out and know they would be protected. Is Ms Prendergast aware of the draft heads of the Bill that are being prepared in this country and whether the Bill is in line with what is being considered in Europe because they should be in harmony?

What do Ms Prendergast's European colleagues think of the deal done on the promissory notes? Do they think we are a soft touch and that we have accepted a deal that does not involve a write-down on the bank debt, which means we will be paying interest twice a year at 3% and that we are carrying a much heavier burden than the rest of our European counterparts?