Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

That will have to be found within the new resources available to the Government. That was made clear earlier this week by the Cabinet and by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in his public comments. I am proactively engaging with this matter. At the same time, I am saying very clearly to the INMO and this committee that the INMO voted for the Lansdowne Road agreement. It is within the framework and it wants to stay within the framework. It is a member of ICTU, which is engaging with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. I will meet representatives of the INMO next week. I will be engaging. I agree with Deputy Kelly that we should use the period of time between now and any potential industrial action in January, if that is what members ballot for, to try to sort this issue out in the interests of patients and front-line staff. We need to operate in the context I have set out. I will keep in touch with the Deputy on the matter.

Deputy Kelly also asked whether we will come in on budget. The answer to that question is "Yes", but with one caveat because the State Claims Agency, which sits within my Vote, is not within my control or the control of anybody sitting in this room.

As these decisions are often made at High Court level, we will not fully know and we cannot possibly know-----