We can’t keep our nurses, Harris admits

HEALTH minister Simon Harris has admitted the health sector has a problem holding on to its staff.

Speaking at the launch of the new national day to recognise frontline and emergency services workers, the minister was pressed on the fact that more than 40,000 nurses have set a deadline for a pay rise, and could strike if their demands are not met in 2019.

The minister said everyone should respect labour protocols.

‘I’m a big believer in process and I think process is very important when it comes to industrial relations. We have a process that the Government established in relation to the Public Services Pay Commission, specifically looking at recruitment and retention,’ he said.

‘I am long on the record that when it comes to the retention of health care professionals, we have a very challenging situation,’ he said. ‘In the two years I have been Health Minister, I have visited facilities and met with doctors and nurses, and we do have a retention challenge. We asked the Public Sector Pay Commission to explore how best to address those challenges.

‘There is a way to go here in terms of working our way through process,’ he said.

The minister met yesterday with representatives from ambulances, the Garda, RNLI, Civil Defence and a range of other services to celebrate the work carried out 365 days a year. The first national day to recognise emergency workers takes place on Saturday September 1.