It does not require great insight to recognise that nurses generally believe that the fundamental manner in which their profession has changed is still not fully recognised and that their skills are undervalued.

- Mr Alan Shatter (FG)

This morning the Minister for Health tried a different tactic. He pleaded with the nurses, rather like the battering husband who deludes himself that all will be forgiven if he tries a bit of cajoling on the wife.

- Ms Liz McManus (Labour)

I would urge the nursing profession to take account of the national interest and to accept what is on offer . . . We cannot go on just paying hundreds of millions extra to just one sector and expect other sectors to sit around.

- The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern