Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 448: To ask the Minister for Health and Children if she has received correspondence in relation to benchmarking from the INO (details supplied); her plans in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14821/07]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I can confirm that I have received correspondence from the Deputy enclosing an Irish Nurses Organisation press release and briefing document. The INO documents outline its position on Benchmarking.

Social partnership agreements have created and sustained the conditions for economic growth over the last decade and significantly enhanced the position of employees in the public and private sector. The parties to the last agreement, Sustaining Progress, had agreed that the Benchmarking exercise was an important initiative in developing a better system of pay determination in the public service. The parties further agreed that this process is an appropriate way of determining public service pay rates in the future. The INO had signed up to Sustaining Progress and their members had received increases of 13.16% under this agreement, in addition to Benchmarking increases of between 8% and 16%.

A new Public Service Benchmarking Body (PSBB) was established on 13 January 2006 by the Minister for Finance. This new PSBB is the sole mechanism for the determination of the pay of public servants. Benchmarking provides an objective means of assessing the appropriate pay for particular groups or professions including nurses. The terms of reference of the PSBB were agreed with the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The INO is a member of ICTU. The terms of reference of the PSBB specifically refer to Labour Court Recommendations 17805 and 17526. These Recommendations relate to claims by nurses' unions in relation to the pay 'anomaly' between some nurses and social care workers in the Intellectual Disability Sector and also claims for a 35 hour week, a Dublin Weighting Allowance and improvements in premium pay.

The work of the PSBB is well advanced and it is currently considering nurses pay claims. SIPTU has made written and oral submissions on behalf of its members who are nurses and midwives. The INO have declined to make a submission on behalf of its members. The Benchmarking Body is due to report in the second half of the year and is in a position to review the issues that the nursing unions feel strongly about. I would urge the INO to reconsider their position and make a submission to the PSBB on behalf of their members as other nursing unions have done.