Haddington Road Agreement Implementation

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 4 February 2014

Tuesday, 4 February 2014

Questions (609, 623, 624)

Ciara Conway

Question:

609. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health if any representative lobby groups from the Health Service Executive have sought exemptions from the Haddington Road agreement; if any such exemptions have been granted within the HSE and are they being paid over the threshold of current pay levels; if he will provide further details in relation to this; if he will confirm whether these extra payments were approved and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4914/14]

Ciara Conway

Question:

623. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health if the Haddington Road agreement is being implemented for all pay grades in the Health Service Executive; if there are any positions outside of this; if he will provide details of these; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4911/14]

Ciara Conway

Question:

624. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Health if any representative lobby groups have sought exemptions from the Haddington Road agreement; if any such exemptions have been granted and are they being paid over the threshold of current pay levels; if he will provide further details in relation to this and if he will confirm whether these extra payments were approved and by whom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4912/14]

Written answers

Minister for Health

I propose to take Questions Nos. 609, 623 and 624 together.

A number of representative bodies have sought clarification of provisions set out in the Haddington Road Agreement on behalf of their members. This is in accordance with standard industrial relation practices and is provided for in the agreement. Under the Agreement the pay of most consultants was cut in accordance with the provisions applying to all staff earning over €65,000. The only exceptions are those recruited at the 30% rate reduced from October 2012. The Agreement specified that the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform would have regard to the 30% reduction in salary applied to new entrant consultants from October 2012, and the substantial inequity that would thereby arise were these consultants subject to the Haddington Road reductions in remuneration. The Haddington Road Agreement is being implemented for all pay grades in the Health Service Executive. There have been no exemptions granted other than those that are specifically provided for in the Agreement.