Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

The Tánaiste has not answered either of the questions I put to her. The first question I asked was: Is it fair that a low-paid worker like Mary Duffy should take a cut of €77 a week while senior people in her Department and other Departments had a special arrangement made for them by the Government after the legislation was passed? My second question is not unreasonable. Low-paid workers like Mary Duffy have taken two pay cuts already in the past year. My simple question is, will the Government give an assurance they will not have to take a third? It is instructive that the Tánaiste has not given me a straight answer on that. The answer she did give me was inaccurate. The Government encouraged a campaign of abuse and vilification of public servants.

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