Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

It is not. A reduction in payroll costs provides for getting a 4% reduction over 2008 outturn levels in 2009. It provides management with the necessary flexibility to deal with that matter rather than a more blunt instrument like an embargo where many exceptions are sought and catered for in respect of emergency workers, etc.

In respect of that way of doing things, even this year the Minister for Finance pointed out that the savings he sought from July, when he made his initial announcement of measures for savings, will be exceeded under that heading during 2008 by reason of applying it in that way and by giving management the flexibility to deal with these issues in a sensible way that does not impact adversely on service provision which it would otherwise do if it was a blunt instrument.

I apologise to Deputy Ó Caoláin but on the point he raised, the board of Aer Lingus directed management to engage with the trade union group to see how it can come forward with the necessary savings in what is currently a competitive and difficult aviation sector.

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