asked the Minister for Health if he will have the conditions of service and remuneration of employees, other than nurses in county hospitals, adjusted on the lines followed in the recent agreement between his Department and the nurses' organisation, and if he will sanction a cost-of-living bonus for these employees in view of the increased cost of living caused by the Budget.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Remuneration of County Hospital Employees.
The remuneration of employees of a local authority is a matter for consideration in the first instance by the local authority concerned. I am prepared to give sympathetic consideration to proposals for an extension to other classes of hospital employees of the principles on which the recent revisions in the remuneration of nurses were made but, as I mentioned in reply to previous questions, I am not prepared to consider proposals based on the cost of living for increases in remuneration of particular classes of local authority employees in advance of an adjustment on that basis of the remuneration of local authority employees generally.
Is the Minister aware that in his Department at the present time there are proposals submitted by county managers to increase rates of pay for wardsmen, boilermen, doorkeepers, porters and other attendants? Would the Minister undertake to make contact with his adviser and seek the necessary advice from him as to the cause of the delay in giving sanction to these very necessary proposals?
As I have told the Deputy, I do not want to deal with these matters piecemeal. I want to have them all considered at the same time.
When will that be? Surely this matter deserves the serious attention of the Minister?
I do not think it will be very long.