asked the Minister for Health if he will sanction pay increases to nurses commensurate with the additional expenses which they will have to bear to comply with the recommendation that their uniforms should be improved.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Nurses' Pay and Conditions.
46.
Mr. O'Malley
I assume that the Deputy's question springs from my recommendation, aimed—with other recent recommendations which I have also made—at sweeping away certain archaic practices and restrictions applying to the nursing profession. In the case of nurses' uniforms, what I suggested was that the traditional type of uniform should be replaced by one simpler and modern in design. So far as I know, no new design has yet made its appearance, and I fail to understand how the Deputy could know, any more than myself, what a simple, modern type of uniform would cost compared with the traditional uniform. I cannot accept at this stage that a new type uniform should cost more than the old.
Clearly my knowledge is superior to the Minister's. Is the Minister aware that the nursing profession, particularly those who are required to pay for their uniforms, are concerned that the changes he recommended may cost them more? In the event of such changes costing more, will the Minister ensure that they will be remunerated on a scale which will avoid them being at a loss?
Mr. O'Malley
To the first part of the Deputy's question, the answer is in the negative and therefore the second part does not arise. In other words, no anxiety was expressed to me by the worthy representatives I met from the Irish Nurses Organisation and the other representatives I met. They get an allowance for a uniform—I think the figure is £15. I do not think a new uniform is going to cost that. As a matter of fact, with new designs there will be less material. I have already given the nurses shorter hours.
47.
asked the Minister for Health what steps will be taken to provide hospitals with the money necessary to pay the additional nursing staff required to allow nurses a working week of not more than 42½ hours; and the anticipated annual cost thereof.
Mr. O'Malley
The expenditure arising from reductions in the working hours, as approved by me, will, in the case of local authority staffs, be included in the revenue expenditure of these authorities and will be reckoned towards the grants payable from the Vote for my Department. In the case of a voluntary hospital participating in the scheme for payment of grants from the Hospitals Trust Fund towards revenue deficits, approved expenditure will be recoupable by way of grant to the extent to which it cannot be met from the ordinary income of the hospital.
As the increase in the numbers of the nursing staff in each hospital cannot yet be determined I am not in a position to state the additional annual cost.