Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 4:

In page 17, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following:

“25.The Minister shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Houses of the Oireachtas a report on the restoration of nursing and midwifery allowances by 1 July 2019 and not 1 October 2020.”.

Section 23(2) of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Bill 2017 provides for the restoration of allowances with effect from 1 October 2020. These allowances were reduced in accordance with the provisions of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009. We seek an amendment to section 23(2) to provide for the early restoration of nursing and midwifery allowances in line with the provisions of the public service stability agreement for 2018 to 2020 relating to the restoration of annualised salaries on 1 July 2019 at the latest. This is sought on the basis that annualised salaries for these grades includes allowances to which a pay-related deduction applies, where superannuation deductions apply and PAYE and PRSI contributions apply. Therefore, it is inherently unfair to apply all deductions and to delay restoration in this manner.