Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 21 Feb 1995

Vol. 449 No. 4

Written Answers - Environmental Health Officers.

Colm M. Hilliard

Question:

73 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the case of the pay claim lodged by the Environmental Health Officers, the arbitration board failed to reach agreement and the findings are those of the arbitrator alone; if the claim was rejected by the arbitration board; if the Environmental Health Officers rejected the arbitration findings as selective, unfair and inaccurate; if he will instruct his officers to enter into meaningful negotiations with the staff unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3630/95]

Minister for Health (Mr. Noonan,

Limerick East): As I explained quite recently to the House, both the management and staff interests opted to refer this claim to arbitration.

The arbitration board, having considered the matter and having failed to reach unanimous agreement, called upon the chairman to arbitrate in the matter and to issue his findings, as is the standard practice in these circumstances.The environmental health officers, through their union, IMPACT, rejected the terms of the arbitration report.

Under the terms of current policy on pay in the public service as agreed and set out in the Programme for Competitiveness and Work, negotiations entered into and processed through the standard industrial relations channels, up to and including a full Conciliation and Arbitration Board hearing, cannot be reopened in the life time of the current programme.

I, as Minister, cannot advise my Department to enter into negotiations with the environmental health officers and their union as such negotiations would be unfair to other groups who are currently processing claims under the terms of the Programme for Competitiveness and Work.