INMO recommends acceptance of proposals for pay restoration

The Executive Council of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) will recommend that its members accept the the Public Service Stability Agreement.

It follows two meetings with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the ICTU Public Services Committee, in which the Executive Council sought clarification on recruitment and retention issues.

They recommend acceptance of the proposals for pay restoration as long as the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) examines the issues immediately.

This will be done independently of other sectors and a report will be issued during the second quarter of 2018.

The INMO will then meet the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform within four weeks of that report to discuss its recommendations.

Phil Ni Sheaghdha, INMO General Secretary Designate said: "In adopting this recommendation, the Executive Council believes that the commitments given by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in respect of the work of the Public Service Pay Commission, should ensure that a robust, expert, analysis of the problems, in recruiting and retaining nurses/midwives, will be undertaken and any recommendations implemented."

INMO President, Martina Harkin-Kelly said: "I believe it is in members’ best interest to accept the proposals under the current Public Service Stability Agreement LRA (2) as rejection of same, in advance of the Public Service Pay Commission concluding its work, would be premature."

Members will be balloted immediately and the votes will be counted on Friday, September 15.