Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I do not accept that for a moment. What I have said is the pay cost of their claim is €300 million, plus the €115 million to €120 million that would be the consequence of meeting the need for increased continuing professional development hours. These are the figures I stand by. The increased wages would generate a higher level of tax revenue, but every other public servant would then come looking for the same increase. The Deputy charges me with being disingenuous, so I will in turn ask him to acknowledge that, for every move made for one part of our public service, the cost will be many multiples of that because everyone else will come looking for the same treatment. That has happened before and will happen again.