Mr. Peter Brazel:

There are two elements, one of which is the financial emergency measures. That is the law and applies to public servants' remuneration and public service bodies and must be applied equally to everyone working in each public service organisation.

In regard to looking at particular cases or particular areas where there might be a skills shortage or whatever, there is provision, as my colleague said, for a business case to be made. That is not to say such a case will be accepted or that there are not extraordinary pressures on the pay bill which would make it very difficult to deal with, but those cases can be made and are, on occasion, sanctioned appropriately. There is the process of make a business case and then submission to the Department of Health and ultimately the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.