Vol. 468 No. 4
224 Mr. S. Brennan asked the Minister for Health when he will respond to the ruling from the European Court of Justice regarding speech and language therapists; his views on whether they provide a vital role in dealing with a range of communication disorders; the plans, if any, he has to resume negotiations on pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15887/96]
Limerick East): The European Court of Justice ruling referred to by the Deputy relates to a case which was forwarded to the court by the UK Court of Appeal from a decision of the UK Employment Appeals Tribunal. It is a particularly complex case and the European Court of Justice ruling has yet to be implemented in the UK. An independent expert had to be appointed to carry out a job evaluation exercise and his report will not be made available until September 1996 at the earliest, following which time the employers' defence will be considered by the UK Employment Appeals Tribunal.
I am satisfied that the ruling has no implications for the pay claim currently being pursued by IMPACT on behalf of the profession. A meeting was held on Wednesday, 26 June 1996, between management and union, under the auspices of the Local Government Staff Negotiations Board. Both sides explored whether the provisions of the joint Government-ICTU statement of 15 May 1996 could usefully be applied to resolving the impasse in the negotiations.
