Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

It was a little rich to listen to Deputy Kennedy exhort the trade union movement that it now is time to come into the Government's parlour to sort out these matters or that everyone was agreed that there was €4 billion to be sorted out and that people could sit down to do so. I am afraid it is too late for that. The die is cast, the trade unions were shafted and the rug was pulled from under their feet. They were in negotiations, were prepared to do a deal and were prepared to save €1.3 billion. It was all there on the table and the Government decided to reject it.

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