Sir, - In the rush to beatify nurses a number of points seem to be regularly ignored:
1. Nurses willingly entered their profession fully knowing the conditions and levels of pay on offer.
2. The pay level has been increased in the past 12 months by over 20 per cent, which is by any standard a huge improvement.
3. It is our money that the nurses are looking for. If the Government concedes one iota all the other employment sectors will follow suit and the economy we have all worked for will be jeopardised, all because of the self-interest of nurses.
4. The best way the Government can share the current riches is by either tax cuts or one-off payments, neither of which will effect the cost base of either the public or private sectors and consequently their competitiveness.
5. There is a lot of nonsense spoken about shortages in nursing being related to pay and conditions. There is an acute shortage of workers in every segment of employment at present, no matter how well or badly paid. - Yours, etc.,
Kenneth Edwards, Clarinda Park, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.
