Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

For example, in the last three budgets a clerical officer on the mid-point of the scale has seen their net pay reduce by less than 8%. The assistant secretary has seen an average 24% cut in net pay over the same period, and deputy secretaries have seen a pay reduction of 27%. I have circulated to Deputies a page which shows very clearly the progressive nature of the reductions.

Of all persons, Members of this House, more than most, should know how salaries and remuneration can be misrepresented. Let us deal, therefore, with facts in this debate.

Before the budget, there was agreement among the main parties in this House that the extent of our deficit required that savings be made in the public service pay bill although we disagreed on how those savings might be achieved. The public service unions also accepted that immediate reductions in the pay bill were necessary. In the event, the Government made a decision in the budget to make a saving of approximately €1 billion in the public service pay bill.

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