Contrary to the Minister's earlier assertions that the Government respects the incredible work and dedication of nurses in our public health system, the response from the nursing unions and the nurses at their recent special delegate conference suggests that they do not feel the Government respects them whatsoever and that its latest pay offer is an insult that will do nothing to address their concerns about the miserable levels of pay enjoyed by nurses, who are the worst paid health professionals, by a considerable margin. The Government's failure to offer the full re-establishment of pay equality for nurses and teachers and other public sector workers and to bring nurses' pay up to the level of other similarly qualified health professionals has led them to say they have no choice but to consider industrial action. Does the Minister not think that we need to listen to what the nurses and their representatives are saying about the need to restore their pay and establish pay equality?

The Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 that was commenced many months ago resulted in the proposals being made to all unions this week. It provides a fair, affordable and sustainable – which is probably the most important aspect for the country – path to managing the €200 million of costs associated with reversing the measures introduced since 2011. The agreement provides for two interventions at points 4 and 8 on the pay scale and will have the effect of bypassing these points on the scale, reducing the time for those professionals having to reach the maximum point. If they are accepted, the measures will apply from 1 March 2019 and each applicable entrant will reach the scale point much faster than they would today. The measure over time will benefit more than 60,000 new public service entrants since 2011. I very much wish all the unions well in their deliberations and encourage them to take a lengthy look at what is on offer.