Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 14 May 2026
512. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Health if she will engage with unions to address a dispute and implement the recommendations of the McHugh/Crabtree report for paramedics (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35815/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is regrettable that SIPTU and Unite members in NAS have chosen to proceed with industrial action. Any such industrial action has the potential to significantly impact service capacity and risks disruption to emergency care and timely access to life saving services. The only way to resolve this matter is through dialogue and we urge the unions to re-engage with the NAS and HSE to find a resolution
The HSE has agreed contingency plans with the Trade Unions to protect life-threatening emergencies and prioritise patients based on clinical need. The State accepts that pay structures need to be modernised and previous engagement at the WRC concluded with the State offering pay increases of 3-14% linked to reform. This is on top of the 9.25% increase under the current Public Service Agreement. While union leadership recommended this proposal to their members, it was rejected by staff following a ballot, but the HSE remains available to meet and engage again with the unions.
The issue now is that staff are looking for pay increases without the implementation of the key reforms which were an integral part of discussions between HSE and unions at the WRC. While we want NAS staff to receive these pay increases as quickly as possible, these reforms are essential to improving services and patient outcomes. These reforms are important because they will deliver better care for patients in the right place - in some cases avoiding the need to go to hospital - faster response times, more ambulances on the road, better deployment of staff to safely treat more people, with the right training and ongoing professional development to support them.
In this context, it is deeply concerning that industrial action, which would be a breach of the Public Service Agreement, is now being contemplated. Patient safety and continuity of emergency care must remain the overriding priority. The HSE and the Department of Health remain ready and available to re-engage through the WRC and Labour Court processes, and we strongly urge SIPTU and UNITE to return to those mechanisms in the interests of patients, staff and the wider public.
