Mr. Shay Cody:

On a related point, we started off our submission by pointing out that even at its maximum, the ambition set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform as to what it wishes to achieve from this unilateral allowance initiative is small beer compared to what has been achieved to date under the Croke Park agreement. Some €1.5 billion was saved in the first two years. The shared agenda is that from a peak in 2008 out to 2015 - but this will probably be achieved in 2014 - the cost of running the pay and pensions bill of the public service will have reduced by €3.3 billion. What public service workers are delivering to keep that show on the road is significant. However, in the context of that €3.3 billion reduction, we find a lot of attention is being given to what tend to be quite marginal issues.