Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

May I ask the Taoiseach, in respect of the speech he made in July at Dublin Castle to the effect that the era of tax cuts was over as a bargaining counter in these discussions, if that is still his position?

In respect of the remarks he has just made about An Post, there is a very serious underlying grievance in terms of workers who could not in any circumstances be described as highly paid, operating in a very high cost society and who are still not provided with the basic increases agreed under the social contract. That especially impacts on the position of pensioners. Is it not a grievance so long afterwards that it must be more speedily addressed?

See this speech in context