Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have classified it as an extension of Croke Park - someone asked if it was the Nally Stand. I do not want to end the Croke Park agreement; the architecture of which remains in place until the end of next year. I am not invoking clause 1.28 of the agreement that would collapse it; rather, I am saying we need to go further than the agreement allows to reach the targets we need to achieve. We want the unions to come to talk to us in order that we will be able to see on the Government side if we can achieve more in terms of savings - the additional €1 billion I require - and from the unions' perspective, we can give them and their members a longer profile of certainty on the guarantees provided under the agreement that there will be no compulsory redundancies and that core pay will be maintained. The view has been expressed by some that working longer hours for the same money represents a pay cut. I am trying to protect core pay because I understand how fragile people's economic circumstances are. It would be preferable for them in the current climate to work the additional hours and maintain their income stream. That is the level of engagement sought and I want to get cracking on the matter.