John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I understand Mr. Burke's point. I disagree. It is a recipe for disaster. In terms of any deviation from his core purpose with regard to work there is an avenue that is acted upon by a union, in some cases by a particular VEC, to start negotiations with the Department to seek an additional payment or allowance. That is how it appears to me. I understand Mr. Burke's point but I disagree with it. What his Department, his predecessors and different Departments have done is created an avenue for the creation of allowances that in some cases can no longer be justified. Historically speaking, I would come at this from a different perspective. It is convoluted, archaic and does not stand up to modern times with regard to the way government should be run. I am not taking away from the job people do within the education sector but administratively and fiscally, this list does not make sense.

With regard to the Croke Park agreement, the Department is negotiating approximately €16 million out of the €600 million and therefore we are talking about a limited number of these allowances being in play. I thank the witnesses.