Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

Given that so many of the amendments, which are designed to make this measure fairer, have been ruled out of order, I ask that the Minister rethink his position on this one. I cannot anticipate an argument for saying this is a permanent measure unless the Government has rethought the merits of the approach of the former Taoiseach, Deputy Bertie Ahern, when he designed a benchmarking process, the basis of the calculations for which none of us can obtain from the archives as the material was destroyed contemporaneously with the publication of the results. If this measure is not a claw-back of benchmarking as suggested by the Minister of State, Deputy Mansergh, then what is it? Is it that the Minister believes the international audience will be impressed, admittedly at a time when we badly need to impress them, by the toughness of the decisions taken by the Irish Government or is it an economic measure designed to drive down wages in the economy generally? In fairness to public servants, neither of those arguments has been advanced as justification for this measure. I believe there are a great many public servants already in financial distress and paying the 1% levy who will expect from today's debate some alleviation of the position as it relates to people on modest incomes.

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