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

That will be a factor the Government will have to take into account in reaching an agreement with our public servants. The three issues that have the greatest impact on national finance forecasts are always what is done with social welfare rates, what is done with health expenditure and what happens with public pay. That is one of the three big levers that have the most significant effect on the overall figures on budget day, and any change at all in respect of public pay will have a considerable impact on our figures. Notwithstanding that, our public servants are invaluable and we will be all better served by having a collective wage agreement if one can be achieved. I have negotiated a few of them and I know any speculation in figures at this point never helps any cause.