3488. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Health to provide an update on the Implementation Action Group 5 process addressing the pay banding and grading structures for senior nursing and midwifery managers, including advanced nurse practitioners and assistant directors of nursing; whether the pay alignment between both will be maintained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56566/26]

As the deputy will be aware, the matter referenced relates to the report produced from the Expert Review Body on Nursing and Midwifery, published in 2022.

There is currently an ongoing process surrounding two specific recommendations of the review:

Recommendation 42, which states

“Align the salary of a single Director of Nursing in each of the nine Model 4 hospitals to that of the Area Director of Nursing for Mental Health.”

and Recommendation 43 which states that

“The Hospital Banding System currently in place to be discontinued. A revised approach for determining Director of Nursing/Midwifery and Assistant Director of Nursing/Midwifery grading across the system to be implemented. This should take into account the revised roles, scope, and responsibilities in the context of Sláintecare and the reforms required to provide integrated and universal healthcare. The number of grades to be rationalised to eight salary scales, the details to be determined between the relevant parties in the context of the next public service pay agreement.”

These recommendations relate specifically to Director and Assistant Director Nursing and Midwifery grades. The Review notes that there are “14 DON/M and ADON/M” requiring reform and its recommendations are focused on those grades.

A process of engagement in relation to recommendations 42 and 43 began in 2023 and engagement is continuing. The Department is working hard to reach a resolution on this process and has been actively engaging with nursing unions to do so.

While this process has taken longer than originally anticipated significant efforts have been made to progress matters. In this regard, an offer was made to the unions last year, which would have provided for an average salary increase of approximately 6% for those effected. Although that offer was not accepted, discussions have continued in a constructive matter between parties.

The Local Bargaining process, which provides an allocation of €38 million for nursing-related claims, represents the only appropriate mechanism through which matters relating to grades outside the scope of Recommendations 42 and 43 may be progressed.