Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)

The Minister has not answered the question he was asked, which was whether he intended to set any preconditions before the Government would agree to give up the pay increases. Will the Minister set any preconditions? Does he share the Taoiseach's view that the increases should be surrendered if a satisfactory outcome is forthcoming from the national pay talks? What does he regard as a satisfactory outcome from the national pay deals that would trigger the surrendering of this pay increase? Will the decision to surrender some of this pay increase be confined to Ministers or will it apply also to senior public servants, who are due to receive further increases on 1 March next year, according to the schedule?

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