Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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I thank the Minister. Is it agreed to publish the Minister's statement? Agreed. The Minister must leave the meeting at 7.15 p.m. because he is meeting the troika. I will need to vacate the Chair at approximately 6.45 p.m. or 6.50 p.m.. Is it agreed that Deputy Michael McNamara will substitute for me in my absence? Agreed.

I wish to ask the Minister a question about the overarching issue which is not specific to the Estimates presented by him this afternoon. What is the long-term situation with regard to public pay costs? It is part of the Minister's reform brief and it must be calculated in the Estimates for 2013. I ask the Minister to deal with that specific matter before we move on to dealing with the more general items in his opening statement.