Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)

It seems that the decision to defer these pay increases to 2010 is just another example of the Government operating on a wing and a prayer rather than taking the opportunity for real reform. Essentially, the Government has recognised that there is a crisis in the public finances and has just put many things off and long fingered them for a few years in the hope that something will come up next year or somehow another €10 million will magically turn up.

My question for the Taoiseach is really simple. Why has he not done what he should have done, namely, cancel them permanently and reassess the whole basis for the review body on higher remuneration which based its recommendations on erroneous comparisons with the private sector? Why did the Taoiseach not take the opportunity that exists for real reform, cancel these pay increases permanently and set up a new system whereby pay increases for higher civil servants, judges, etc., are linked to performance and reform and not this erroneous link with the private sector? Why did he just take the easy and soft option and long finger it to 2010 so that we can go back to the same old flawed policies?

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