Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 3 Nov 1999

Vol. 510 No. 1

Written Answers. - Nursing Staff.

John Perry

Ceist:

113 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Health and Children if he will clarify the Labour Court recommendations (LRC 16261) on the three pay-related issues arising from the Commission on Nursing for nurse teachers; the plans in place to implement or address the three options which have been identified as university teaching, remain in hospital roles and early retirement; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the Nurse Education Forum has clearly communicated to nurse teachers that it is not addressing this issue and has stated that it has no role in relation to any of the industrial relations issues such as pay and condition of services; the group which will be fully addressing the differentials for nurse teachers which needs urgent attention; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21924/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

The matter the Deputy raises was dealt with by the Labour Court in its recommendation dated 27 October 1999 (LCR 16330) as follows:

The proposed integration of pre-registration nursing education into the third level sector has raised many questions for this group. In LCR 16261 the court stated that pay and conditions for nurse teachers should be finalised by September 2000 when the Nursing Education Forum report will be available. The court recommended that in the meantime, this group should be paid 4 per cent from 1 July 1999, on account, to be subsumed into any pay increases negotiated after the forum report, clarifying their new roles, is available. The court further recommended that the option of a voluntary early retirement package should be provided in order to supplement the options proposed by the Commission on Nursing.

In the light of further submissions received from the Nursing Alliance, the court now recommends that instead of receiving an interim payment of 4 per cent, nurse teachers should receive similar salary increases to those recommended for other management grades and that the same phasing arrangements should apply. The court makes this revised recommendation in recognition of the change in their role arising from the implementation of the commission's proposal, and on the basis that this will dispose of the pay issue.

The court also calls on employers to engage in early discussions with nurse teachers to clarify matters of concern to this group in relation to their future conditions.

This recommendation clarifies the pay issue and, assuming acceptance of this recommendation by nurses, the differentials issue for nurse teachers has been resolved. Individual employers will engage in discussions with nurse teachers regarding their options for the future as soon as practicable.