Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

It is not the case that employees have done badly in any year over the past 19 years. Successive partnership agreements by successive Governments have shown that increases in workers' salaries and wages have far outstripped inflation and increases in similar countries. When taken with the tax concessions given during this period, the living standards of workers have increased dramatically every year. Hence, the Deputy's statement is entirely incorrect.

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