andMr. McQuillan asked the Minister for Health whether the Workers' Union of Ireland made any representation or a formal appeal to him against the decision of the manager not to grant the request by the nurses for an improvement in their conditions of service at Saint Kevin's Hospital, Dublin.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Nurses' Conditions of Service.
5.
No representations or formal appeal have been received by me from the Workers' Union of Ireland relating specifically to conditions of service of nurses employed in St. Kevin's Hospital, Dublin.
As I explained in my reply to a previous question by Deputies McQuillan and Browne on the 13th instant the Dublin Health Authority has not fully considered the several claims put forward on behalf of nurses employed by that Authority. At a recent meeting the Authority accepted the view of the Chief Executive Officer that it would be premature to consider further these claims until those of a much larger body of nurses had been dealt with. I pointed out in my previous reply that these latter claims were at an advanced stage of negotiation.
According to my information no decision refusing to grant improved conditions for the nurses at St. Kevin's Hospital has been made on behalf of the Health Authority.
I should like to ask the Minister whether it is a fact that the nurses voted for strike action because of the reply they received from the Minister.
As far as the Minister is concerned, it is not a fact, because the Minister has not had any discussion with the nurses or their representatives on this matter.
Mention has been made of the Health Authority. I want to emphasise again that it is the manager who decides these matters, not the properly elected members of the Authority.
The Deputy can hold his horses. The Health Authority met recently and accepted, willingly and voluntarily, the view of their chief executive officer that it would be premature to consider further these claims until those of a much larger body of nurses had been dealt with.
Is the Minister aware we have no power to decide?
You could have decided not to accept.
We have no power just the same.
Can we take it from the Minister's reply that the members of the Health Authority are in agreement with the line of action taken by the chief executive officer?
The Deputy had better study the reply and satisfy himself on that head.
No. I want the Minister to say whether we are to take it from the reply he has given that the members of the Health Authority have shown their approval of the line of action taken by the chief executive officer. Is that correct?
The Deputy is not going to put words into my mouth. If he wishes, he can listen to what I am going to say again. At a recent meeting the Authority accepted the view of the chief executive officer that it would be premature to consider further these claims until those of a much larger body of nurses have been dealt with.
In other words, the Minister is now throwing the blame over to the elected representatives of the public and saying they are responsible for the hold-up as far as the nurses are concerned?
No, I am not throwing over the blame on any person. There are two parties to this dispute. One of them is acting quite reasonably. Whether the other is acting reasonably or not is a matter for conjecture.
If there is a danger of strike action taking place, with resultant great inconvenience to the patients and their relations, does the Minister propose to intervene in this matter?
No, I cannot — not until the Health Authority come to a decision in this matter. I am bound by Section 6 of the County and City Management Act, 1955. When the Health Authority make an approach to me in relation to questions of remuneration or conditions of employment, I can act; but not otherwise.
The Minister loves a good row.
I am not in this one, although Deputy Norton might want to get me into it.
Nobody will believe there is a row the Minister is not in.