Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Jun 2001

Vol. 539 No. 1

Written Answers. - Nursing Staff Pensions.

Willie Penrose

Question:

282 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Health and Children the reason the 5% senior staff nurse allowance granted from 5 November 1999 has not been paid to such workers in the health service who had retired prior to 5 November 1999; if, in view of the situation, he will ensure in the interest of the maintenance of parity, such allowances will be paid to retired workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18935/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The senior staff nurse post is a new post which was created as part of the settlement of the nurses' strike in 1999 and that the earliest date on which a staff nurse could have been appointed to such a post was 5 November 1999.

The standard parity criteria whereby retired nurses benefit from adjustments made to the salaries applicable to the grades in which they served before their retirement continue to apply. As I explained, the senior staff nurse is a new post created as part of the 1999 settlement. Staff appointed to these posts will benefit from the rate for the post on retirement. The senior staff nurse rate does not, however, apply to pensioners who retired prior to 5 November 1999.

With regard to the red circled allowances payable to deputy nursing officers, theatre night sisters and public health nurses, these allowances only apply to nurses who were in employment on the effective date, 16 November 1999. As pensionable allowances are only taken into account at retirement where (a) actual moneys have been paid, and (b) contributions in respect of such payments have been made to the superannuation scheme, it follows that these allowances cannot be applied to pensioners who retired before the effective date.

These issues have been raised by the Nursing Alliance and discussions have taken place under the auspices of the Health Service Employers Agency. In this context, my Department has confirmed with the Department of Finance that the approach being taken is consistent with public service pensions increase policy. My policy adviser, accompanied by officials from my Department's nursing policy division, met with a delegation from the association on 9 May 2001 and explained the position to it.