Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 178: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children if the HSE will withdraw its threat of non-payment of increases due to nurses and midwives under Sustaining Progress and benchmarking; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17413/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The current phase of performance verification for the health sector is the fourth phase of the process set out in the Sustaining Progress agreement. The public service pay agreement provides that the final two phases of the benchmarking increases and the general round increases are dependent on verification of satisfactory achievement of the provisions on co-operation with flexibility and ongoing change; satisfactory implementation of the agenda for modernisation set out in sections 20 to 26 of Sustaining Progress; and the maintenance of stable industrial relations and the absence of industrial action in respect of matters covered by the agreement. The fourth phase sectoral report received by the Secretary General of the Department of Health and Children from the Health Services National Partnership Forum cited the Irish Nurses Organisation in respect of its non-co-operation regarding the development and implementation of the health care assistants training programme.

In accordance with the procedures laid down in Sustaining Progress, the Secretary General referred the matter to the health service National Joint Council for its views on the matter. The referral emphasised the need for the INO to commit to full co-operation with the introduction of the health care assistants training programme, which represents a key skill mix initiative in the health sector, and is a key component of the Sustaining Progress agreement.

The matter remained unresolved following a special meeting of the National Joint Council on 11 May 2005 and the Secretary General informed the chair of the performance verification group that he had deferred making a decision until 31 May 2005. I understand that the national implementation body, which is provided for in Sustaining Progress, invited both parties to discuss the outstanding issues on Friday, 20 May and that a set of proposals is currently being drafted following that intervention. I hope the issues in dispute can be resolved, thus allowing nurses to receive their pay increases with effect from 1 June next.