Nurses say they are disappointed that the new Public Expenditure Minister Paschal Donohoe does not want to discuss pay restoration.

In an interview with the Irish Independent, Mr Donohoe says he instead wants to stay within the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement.

However, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation says anyone taken on during the recession should be brought up to the same pay level as their colleagues.

General Secretary of the INMO, Liam Doran, says they have been attacked.

Mr Doran said: “The Lansdowne Road Agreement was framed at a certain time, only 18 months ago. It was the Minister for Finance who said that emergency is over as part of the election material.

“And if the emergency is over, then I think the public servants who were attacked during the emergency are reasonably entitled to seek earlier restoration.”