Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

Clearly, if there is backed-up unpaid leave going into 2011 and 2012, it will impact on the Taoiseach's ability to achieve reforms in those years with the consequential effect that will have on the budgets for those years. I would like to get some clarity on this because this day week, presumably, we will hear from the Minister for Finance that there is a reduction in the public sector pay bill of €1.3 billion. At the moment, however, there does not seem to be any basis for that. The Taoiseach may or may not have an agreement by this day week. Even if he has, he has left it so late that he does not know whether that agreement will be confirmed in a subsequent ballot. While the Taoiseach might get the financial savings in 2010, there may be a longer-term impact on services in the subsequent years. From what he is saying, he does not appear to have a position on what will happen if there is no agreement. How will he get €1.3 billion in savings if he finds himself this day week either with no agreement or with one that he is unsure will be confirmed in a subsequent ballot?

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