Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister of State for his response, although I have to say it is just a standard textbook response which means nothing to the workers involved in this dispute. It is quite outrageous for the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, to say he is disappointed that the strike action has proceeded. With all due respect the Minister for Health, Deputy Stephen Donnelly, is completely missing the point. These workers have had 20 years of trying to get pay justice and they have been ignored at every turn. They were clear last week when they said they did not want to undertake this action and that all they wanted were meaningful negotiations. I quoted Terry Casey to the Minister of State and he said they have not had any meaningful negotiations and yet we have this statement that the Minister for Health is disappointed. He is missing the point. The people of Ireland are disappointed in the Minister for Health and in this Government. This dispute should never have been let happen. It was clear and the Government had six months to fix this since the strike ballot, on top of the 20 years governments have already had, and it has come up with nothing. A creative solution is entirely within the grasp of this Government but it needs the active involvement of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. It is clear from the Minister of State's response that the Minister for Health has failed to get that commitment. That is why this strike is proceeding. What hope will the Government offer the people of Ireland next week when it comes to further industrial action? There is nothing in the speech the Minister of State has given here to offer any hope of a resolution to these workers or to the people desperately waiting for health appointments. It is not good enough.