Michael Lowry (Tipperary North, Independent)
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128. To ask the Minister for Health if he will review the rate of pay for graduate mental health nurses; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these graduate nurses are being offered employment at 85% pay while their counterparts in general nursing are being offered contracts on 100% pay; if he will examine this matter; his views that this distinction is fair and equitable in view of the fact that general nurses and mental health nurses hold the same qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37387/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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As provided for in the Haddington Road Agreement the rate of pay for participants in the Graduate Nurse Programme is 85% of the first point of the January 2011 staff nurse scale in the first year progressing to 90% in year two of participation. These rates apply to graduate mental health nurses and general nurses. As the pay of mental health staff nurses is slightly higher than general staff nurses the pay of graduate mental health nurses participating in the Programme is correspondingly higher than graduate general nurses. The graduate mental health nurse's basic pay is €23,667 in the first year and €25,059 in the second year while the graduate general staff nurse's basic pay is €23,129 in the first year and €24,490 in the second year. Participants also receive allowances and other premium payments that generally apply to nursing grades.

Health service managers may appoint graduates to fill suitable posts under the Graduate Nurse Programme in general nursing, mental health nursing, intellectual disability nursing or midwifery. Currently 45% of appointments are in mental health nursing, 42% in general nursing and the balance split between intellectual disability nursing and midwifery. Separate to the Graduate Nurse Programme, it is also open to management to make staff nurse appointments for any of the nursing specialties in the normal course where it is established that this is required to meet service needs.