Health service unions and hospitals have reached agreement on a 5% pay rise for hospital staff – to be spread over three years.

The first increase of 1% for the sector’s 300,000 staff will come into effect in July. The new pay deal will also allow staff aged 58 and over to work fewer irregular hours.
The agreement comes as health service spending is in the political spotlight. The health ministry will overspend its budget by upwards of €2bn this year and ministers are currently working out where to make cuts.