Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

In reply to Deputy Rabbitte, the Taoiseach stated:

However, the Deputy is talking about a small hard core, and all Members who have been in Government, including the Deputy, know that policy units are small. That issue is being discussed in the implementation group and it has been put forward by senior civil servants, especially from the higher grades. Their case must be listened to because the process is voluntary and the Government has stated throughout that we will consider such arguments.

We have not accepted those arguments.

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