87 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Health if he will review the request of the Environmental Health Officers employed by the health boards for parity with the common graduate recruitment grade in the Civil Service; and if he will make the appropriate intervention on behalf of environmental health officers (details supplied). [1049/95]

88 Mr. D. Ahern asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the disillusionment of Environmental Health Officers regarding their pay and conditions which have been adversely affected as a result of changes in their work practices since 1981; the plans, if any, he has to rectify the situation in order to prevent further difficulties in this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1084/95]

90 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Health if he intends to review the salary scale of environmental health officers on the basis that environmental health officers have fallen out of parity with other professional recruitment grades in the health services. [1102/95]

91 Mr. Hyland asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the concern of the Environmental Health Officers Association with regard to the pay and work conditions of environmental health officers employed by health boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1105/95]

92 Mr. Costello asked the Minister for Health if his attention has been drawn to the recent claim by IMPACT made on behalf of the environmental health officers to the effect that they are dissatisfied with the findings of the Public Service Arbitrator; his views on their concern that staff morale is being undermined by the professions' failure to maintain relativity with comparable grades in the public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1115/95]

95 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Health, in view of discontent among environmental health officers regarding remuneration levels (details supplied), if he will arrange a review of the matter taking into account the comparative pay levels and qualifications of the common graduate recruitment grade in the Civil Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1256/95]

Limerick East): I propose to take Questions Nos. 87, 88, 90, 91, 92 and 95 together.

The claim submitted by IMPACT, on behalf of environmental health officers, for a salary revision was processed through the standard industrial relations procedures and was the subject of two hearings by a board under the scheme for a national joint council and arbitration board for local government and health services.

The claim was given detailed consideration by the arbitration board which rejected the basis on which the claim had been made. Both the management and staff interests had opted to refer the matter to arbitration. By convention, the decisions of the arbitration board are accepted by both sides. Accordingly, there is no role for me, as Minister for Health, to intervene in the process.