Fianna Fáil backbenchers last night demanded that the Government soften its line on the nurses pay issue and called for immediate talks between the nursing unions and the HSE Employers' Agency to avert the threat of strike.
TDs passed two motions on the nurses' pay row at a meeting of the Fianna Fáil parliamentary party during which concern was expressed about the effect of a nurses' strike in the run up to the general election.
Between 15 and 20 TDs - including Minister of State for Children Brian Lenihan, and chairman of the Oireachtas Committee on Health, John Moloney - spoke on the issue. Taoiseach Bertie Ahern attended the meeting and made no contribution to the debate, but "listened very carefully to what we had to say", according to one TD.
The first motion asked the Government to "ensure that further negotiations would take place between the nursing unions and the HSE Employers' Agency in order that agreement can be reached thus ensuring that a nurses strike would not take place." The motion was signed by TDs John Cregan, Jimmy Devins, Johnny Brady, John Moloney, John Ellis, Jim McDaid and Cecelia Keaveny.
The second motion, calling on Fianna Fáil to "consider the terms of the Irish Nurses Organisation/Psychiatric Nurses Association documents pertaining to issues regarding pay, conditions of employment and career structure in the nursing service", was signed by John Moloney, Jimmy Devins, Charlie O'Connor, Denis O'Donovan and Senator Camillus Glynn. TDs spoke of the dangers of a protracted row with nurses over their pay issue. One TD said that Fianna Fáil did not need to go to war with nurses, consultants and the VHI/Bupa going into an election.
"The message was clear that the hard line on health had to soften. Mary Harney wasn't mentioned directly, but the subtext was clear," one TD said. Another said: "We can't afford this leading up to an election. Something must give or we will suffer in June."
Many speakers said nurses should be better looked after and one TD pointed out that the salaries that Health Service Executive employees earned were far greater than nurses' salaries.
Cork South West TD Denis O'Donovan said nurses had a reasonable and balanced case and were not demanding too much. They should have better pay and a shorter working week, he said.
Mr Lenihan said while it was a complex issue, there should be negotiations and attempts to sort the issue out.
The nursing unions voted last Friday to take industrial action over their pay and conditions demand and have served 21 days notice on the HSE. They have refused to say exactly what their industrial action will entail.
Meanwhile, Mr Ahern told the meeting that plans to extend the rural bus service should not be presented as a bus to bring people home from pubs. He said the plan aimed to protect the social fabric of rural Ireland and was meant to ensure that people could go to social gatherings.
Minister for Community and Rural Affairs Eamon Ó Cuív also addressed TDs on the issue and promised to have a more detailed plan as to how the extended rural transport plan would work in the coming weeks.