Mr. John Dunne:

I accept that it is a question of priorities but my point is that there is a differential standard. The public sector provides for itself. It does not provide for the rest. I did an exercise in the context of pay restoration. Mr. McLoughlin sounds like he is in the same position as the Alzheimer's Society of Ireland. Let us take the case of somebody on our staff who after the cuts in 2011 was on a salary of €25,000. We abolished incremental scales. Let us also take somebody in the HSE who was on the same salary of €25,000 in 2011. If neither of them got promoted, the person working for us would be still getting €25,000. The situation will be changed next year for the first time. The person in the HSE, through normal incremental and pay grants, is on €31,000 now. I am not saying that is right or wrong. I am saying that is a fact.