‘Still no pay for student nurses’: Cork TD hits out at Government decisions on

“Pay increases for judges, pension cuts reversed for ex-taoisigh, and 4,000 top civil servants,” Mick Barry said. “Still no pay for student nurses and midwives."
The decision will see thousands of retired public servants, including former taoisigh, relieved of the pension levy introduced in 2009. Cabinet also cleared the way for pay increases for opposition party whips and the judiciary.
In the Dáil today, Mr Barry questioned the decisions.

“Pay increases for judges, pension cuts reversed for ex-taoisigh, and 4,000 top civil servants,” he said. “Still no pay for student nurses and midwives.
“The Taoiseach spoke firmly earlier on, but the point is, student nurses are working in our hospitals. They’ll tell you that themselves.”
Public Expenditure Minister Michael McGrath said the Government received “strong” legal advice that pay restoration for judges had to take place.
“Despite what we might like to do, the truth is that, based on the legal advice that we have received, these restorations must take place,” he said.
Mr Barry told The Echo the decision “really shows how there is one rule for the rich and one rule for the rest”.

People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett said that he was left “flabbergasted” after the Taoiseach told students to lodge complaints with the HSE.