Gerry Horkan (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his response. My concern is that, if the machinery of the State got this so wrong, it might end up being €3 billion or €4 billion. How can we say with any certainty that the new figures are right if all of the previous figures so far have been proved so wrong?

I will take 30 seconds to raise one other issue. I have mentioned to the Minister the major issue with staff recruitment and retention, especially in the greater Dublin area. The pay of public servants, in particular, is not rising at the same rate as in companies such as Facebook, Google, eBay and PayPal. It is great that people in those companies are earning as much as they are, but they are driving up the cost of everything for many other people. The Minister needs to examine this issue. In schools all over Dublin, probably including the Minister's constituency, teachers are travelling-----