Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The pay increases were disproportionate and based on a false premise. I ask the Taoiseach to comment on this. It will be the first time he has had an opportunity to do so in the House.

Some people are under pressure as a result of the news coming from the United States of further issues arising from the crisis surrounding sub-prime lending. The Taoiseach is telling everybody to tighten their belts at a time when members of the Cabinet have awarded themselves — accepted, it was an independent recommendation — pay increases ranging from €25,000 to €38,000. Does he think this was realistic in the current circumstances, given that when I was a member of Cabinet, our first decision was to refuse an increase on that basis?

The Taoiseach referred to FÁS in the context of social partnership. He knows well that FÁS is spending some €1 billion a year. One of the critical issues facing all of us is the necessity to upskill and retrain workers. This is a sizeable challenge. Does the Taoiseach consider that FÁS, under its current structure, has the capacity to meet this challenge given that there is an increasing concern about major manufacturing firms having to move abroad to lower cost regions? Is FÁS up to getting best value for €1 billion of taxpayers' money under its current structure?

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