Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

What is the position of the Government regarding public service reform? The Minister for Finance, Deputy Lenihan, has suggested that the taxpayer might now be employed to remove from the public service persons whom the Government says should not have been employed in the first place. With regard to the Health Service Executive, Professor Drumm says there will be 1,000 persons removed from that section of the public service. What is the situation? Will it apply only to the HSE or will it apply to the public sector in general? What is the extent of borrowing required to deal with the matter and how will it be targeted? From his experience, the Taoiseach is well aware that, as in previous times, persons at the higher levels may well leave, creating a very serious problem. What is the position regarding public sector reform and regarding performance as it relates to pay? What is the story from Government in respect of a targeted redundancy scheme and how much will borrowing for that cost?

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