FF speaking out of both sides of their mouth on nurses’ pay
Labour Party Health spokesperson, Alan Kelly TD, has accused Fianna Fáil of speaking out of both sides of their mouth when it comes to nurses’ pay.
Deputy Kelly’s comments come ahead of Fianna Fáil’s Dáil motion on the upcoming industrial action due to be taken the INMO and the PNA.
Deputy Kelly said:
“While I applaud the good intentions behind Fianna Fáil’s Dáil motion on the upcoming nurses’ industrial action, it is a bit hard to take seriously when the proposer of the motion is Deputy Stephen Donnelly.
“This is the same Deputy Donnelly, who in true management consultant fashion, put on the Oireachtas record that “nurses are very well paid as new entrants”, almost implying that nurses did not need to campaign for better pay and working conditions.
“As was pointed out to Deputy Donnelly at the time, Irish nurses are relatively low paid when compared to graduates in the private sector due to the context of the work they carry out and the sheer levels of responsibility they must shoulder throughout every shift they work.
“With that in mind it is hard to take Deputy Donnelly and his party seriously when they present Dáil motions showing concern for the plight of nurses, especially new entrants.
“As Fine Gael’s silent coalition partners, Fianna Fáil could make a real difference when it comes to this dispute. With seventeen days to go until the INMO begin their industrial actioncould prove that this motion is not just a PR exercise and put pressure on Ministers Donohoe and Harris to sit down and talk to the unions about their issues.”