No doubt healthcare workers will receive pay rises they deserve, O’Dowd says

Finance Minister John O’Dowd has said he has no doubt healthcare workers in Northern Ireland will “receive the pay rises they deserve”.

The minister was questioned at the Assembly on Tuesday over the delay in the pay uplift for health workers, which was “promised to them” in a recommended pay increase.

Health Minister Mike Nesbitt said in May that he had signed off on a pay award in line with the Pay Review Body (PRB) recommendation of a 3.6% pay rise.

Mr Nesbitt said in September that nurses could take strike action by November if a £200 million funding gap is not bridged to meet the recommended pay increase.

Mr O’Dowd told MLAs on Monday that the UK Government has been “failing to provide sufficient funding for public services”.

He said: “They should not be in the position of having to consider strike action to get pay awards that they are entitled to.

“I am acutely aware of the demands based on our health and care system, and the financial pressures it faces.

“These financial challenges are not confined to one department, and we cannot view the health prices in isolation. I am committed to working collectively with my executive colleagues to resolve the current issues.

“I have been working with the Health Minister, and my officials are actively engaging, too, with senior officials in health for ways for securing the pay uplift for health workers.”

SDLP MLA Colin McGrath said the minister was “passing off the responsibility” regarding pay rises.

He said: “It was promised to them. This is their pay uplift. It was due on the first of April and it is now the first of October. Now the Health Minister says that it’s not up to him, it’s up to you as the Finance Minister. Do you have the money and will our nurses get their pay rise?”

Mr O’Dowd said: “We are working together, and I have no doubt. I have no doubt, we will reach a successful collusion inclusion to this issue, and health workers will get their pay rise.”

The Health Minister said in a meeting of the Assembly in September that his department was facing a £614 million funding gap. Some £200 million of that is related to nurses’ pay.