The Tánaiste will be aware that the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation, INMO, is holding its annual conference in Cork. It has made it very clear that the issue of pay is central to addressing the crisis in the recruitment and retention of nursing professionals. The crisis is having a severe effect on the hospital network, including community hospitals. There is broad agreement that if we are to see the issue being addressed, the issue of pay has to be central. The Tánaiste and the Minister for Finance supported a Sinn Féin motion which was passed unanimously by the House last week that examined and proposed solutions to the crisis. When will the Government sit down with nurses to address the fundamental issue of pay?

I thank the Deputy for the question. I look forward to attending the INMO conference tomorrow and having an opportunity to engage with nurses and midwives on this issue. As the Deputy rightly said, the Public Service Pay Commission is considering issues to do with the recruitment and retention of staff in the healthcare sector. It is due to report shortly - I believe during the summer. I know that the INMO has had an opportunity to make its submission and also to engage with the commission. We will be guided in our next moves by its findings.