Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Broadly in the same vein, how does the Taoiseach respond to SIPTU, which has again pointed out that the trend within the private sector is for senior management grades to secure increases considerably above any relationship to others in middle management and all other worker levels within the private sector? Does he not accept that the broad majority of people and a growing number of people believe it is grossly inequitable and gross hypocrisy for Ministers and senior civil servants in the public sector to have their returns linked to this trend within the private sector, something that represents the greediest aspirations from within the private sector? Does the Taoiseach not recognise that there is great upset and hurt that, at the same time as seeing these recommendations regarding his own position and that of his colleagues, there are calls for pay restraint for ordinary workers? For many it is a case of limited increases not even holding with inflation rates but falling back. That is the reality for many people in employment today. I ask whether the Taoiseach is aware of this real concern. Does he not recognise that by his approach to benchmarking and the return for their worth and their labour to those in the public sector he is perpetuating an inequality and giving complementary endorsement to what is happening in the private sector?

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