Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)

What we are ultimately debating this evening is an issue of fairness. Is it fair that working people across the public sector, including teachers, nurses, road cleaners, gardaí and others, should see a significant reduction in their wages as a result of Fianna Fáil's mismanagement of the economy? The answer to that question is "No". It is not fair because these people did not create the mess we are now in, yet they are being asked to clean it up.

On budget day last December, like everyone else, I expected to see a reduction in my wages and other measures being taken also. However, for a large section of society, particularly those who are quite wealthy, budget day never happened. Others, including public sector workers, those dependent on social welfare, the disabled and carers, suffered a significant reduction in their income and in State supports. At that time the Labour Party strongly opposed the cuts in public servants' pay. We considered the cuts to be unfair and we rejected the scapegoating of public sector workers by Fianna Fáil and others. Labour's opposition to the public sector pay cuts is well documented on the Dáil record and in various interviews given by our leader, Deputy Eamon Gilmore, and other spokespersons on the party's behalf.

Labour argued instead that significant savings would and could be made in the public sector pay bill through negotiated reforms. Such reforms could have been achieved if the current Fianna Fáil Government had not collapsed those talks with the public service unions last December. We still believe that the reform documents, which were being considered before the collapse of the talks, offered serious scope for efficiency, cost savings and a better service to the public. On being elected to Government, the Labour Party would reopen discussions with the public service unions on these reforms. As part of that process, the party would be prepared to negotiate appropriate pay restoration. This can be achieved on the basis of efficiency, flexibility, value for money and a continuous high level of service to the public.

Perhaps I could ask Deputy Bruton, if he is not talking to Deputy Lee, to give me a few minutes' quietness if he does not mind.

See this speech in context