Mr. Brian Purcell:

It places certain demands on one's payroll system. However, one explanation is that there are 13 separate allowances that would apply in some instances under the additional hours system. The pay-off in the introduction of the additional hours system was the ongoing saving of €30 million plus each year. Perhaps the downside is that administratively, it is difficult. I referred to the difficult negotiating process and the difficulties in implementing the new agreement. One downside in this regard is that one has this plethora of allowances that all fall under the additional hours heading. However, the upside and pay-off are the ongoing saving of €30 million a year. I assure the Deputy that were it possible to deliver the same or an enhanced level of service with these levels of percentage savings, the administrative inconvenience of being obliged to do it this way, about which the Deputy is absolutely right, is a price we would willingly pay to deliver such reforms and highly significant savings.