Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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501. To ask the Minister for Health the status of pay negotiations with nursing staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48994/18]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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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.

Both the INMO and the PNA have rejected the pay proposals. However, 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.

It should also be noted that there are no 'pay negotiations' underway with nursing staff, as suggested by the Deputy. However, 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.