Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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489. To ask the Minister for Health if he will make funds available to meet the demands of nurses in view of the 94% vote to reject the pay offer in a union (details supplied) in order to alleviate pressures in the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43922/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Government has already allocated significant resources to improving the pay rates for all public servants, including health sector staff, through the Public Service Stability Agreement. This Agreement is delivering wage increases of 6.4% to 7.2% over 2018-2020 and is weighted toward the lowest paid. On top of the pay increases provided under the PSSA, in September agreement was reached with staff interests on proposals relating to the so-called “new entrant pay” issue. This would deliver an average of an additional €3,000 over the coming years starting in March next year to over 60,000 post-2011 new entrants, including 10,000 nurses.

Specifically in relation to nurses, it should also be noted that the Public Service Pay Commission recommended a 20% increase in the Location and Qualification Allowances for nurses and midwives and accelerated promotion for nurses to the senior staff nurse level. Subject to acceptance, these measures will be implemented from March 2019 at a cost of €20m per annum.

The Deputy will be aware, however, that both the INMO and the PNA have rejected the pay proposals. Notwithstanding their rejection of these proposals, officials from my Department and the HSE have met with the nursing unions to clarify their issues. I understand that the parties have been invited to attend the National Oversight Body and I am hopeful this will help to progress matters.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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490. To ask the Minister for Health if pay and conditions demands from nurses will be met in order to end pay inequalities, bring nurses in line with other health professionals and to allow for faster recruitment into the health service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49104/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The pursuit of cost increasing pay claims and engagement in industrial action are both specifically excluded under the terms of the Public Service Pay and Stability Agreement (PSSA 2018 - 2020) - a collective agreement which the INMO and its members currently subscribe to. Concession of any such pay claim, which has been costed at up to €300m p.a. would compromise public pay and budgetary policy and would also generate follow on claims from the rest of the public service workforce.

The Public Service Stability Agreement is delivering wage increases of 6.4% to 7.2% over 2018-2020 and is weighted toward the lowest paid. On top of the pay increases provided under the PSSA, in September agreement was reached with staff interests on proposals relating to the so-called “new entrant pay” issue. This would deliver an average of an additional €3,000 over the coming years starting in March next year to over 60,000 post-2011 new entrants, including 10,000 nurses.

In addition, the Public Service Pay Commission recommended a 20% increase in the Location and Qualification Allowances for nurses and midwives and accelerated promotion for nurses to the senior staff nurse level. Subject to acceptance, these measures will be implemented from March 2019 at a cost of €20m per annum.

Finally, I would point out that the Commission found that the issues around recruitment of nurses and midwives were multi-factorial and, as such, not exclusively down to pay. Therefore, if does not necesaarily follow that increasing pay will allow for 'faster recruitment', as claimed by the Deputy.