Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I have one third of the time the Deputy had to ask his question yet he is interrupting before I have had a chance to answer. Answering the Deputy's question in one third of the time it took him to ask it is a stiff challenge. I will do the best I can but the content may not be as good as the Deputy hopes.

Regarding Government regulated costs, we have opened up to independent regulation to promote competition and bring greater price transparency to markets that were previously Government controlled. What the Deputy calls Government regulated costs are actually decisions made by independent regulators, set up by this House, that act independently of the Government. The phrase he used does not reflect modern reality. I do not know what percentages the Deputy is using since I do not accept the basis on which they are composed.

As I said previously to Deputy Burton, the Government has made a differentiated decision relating to the recommendations of the Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector as they affect politicians rather than other public servants. A pay pause will take place for one year and the pay recommendations will be implemented over the following three years. The continuing mantra in this House relating to imminent pay rises of the amounts mentioned are not true, as the Deputy knows.

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