Dick Roche (Wicklow, Fianna Fail)

It is difficult to follow the last two speakers without covering the same ground. However, this is a mischievous motion. The Deputies opposite, and in particular the main signer of this motion, knows more than most precisely the precarious and difficult financial situation of the country. I claim it is a base motion as well because at its heart is an attempt to play on discontent within the public service. I have had the experience of serving at several different grades in public administration in this country and I was a trade union representative for the lower grades in the public service. I am well aware of the difficulties facing a clerical officer, clerical assistant or junior executive officer at the lower end of the scale. However, the attempt to create more discontent in those grades than what undoubtedly exists already is not good politics; it is bad politics. It will divide worker against worker. If they were to reflect on the matter, I believe most of those on the opposite side of the House would recognise it is bad politics.

We are all aware of the situation of the country lately and the recently published Exchequer returns make the position very clear. The 2007 tax take was €47 billion and it is now down to €33 billion. One must cut one's cloth according to one's measure. We could do other things but we tried such other things in the past. Previously, the country tried to borrow itself out of difficulties. The proposer of the motion knows as well as I do the damage that did to our economy. We stultified Ireland's economic development in the 1980s because we doubled and trebled our debt. By 1987, every penny generated from personal taxation went into servicing debt. It was insupportable expenditure.

We are also aware the capacity of this country to raise more taxes in the current circumstances is limited. If we did not cut public expenditure, the Government would have to find the money elsewhere. I give credit to Deputy Bruton in this regard, because he had some difficulty within his own party in arguing for the extent of the cuts necessary. Had we not taken the necessary steps, we would have had to find up to €4 billion in extra taxation and in our heart of hearts we know that is simply not a realistic option. The Government could have simply closed down services. Frequently, that is what takes place in business. Let us consider the unfortunate situation of the workers who heard the dreadful news concerning Halifax last night. Some 750 or 760 jobs will go. We sought to protect the public services to the maximum possible extent and we sought to protect employment within public services.

As everyone in the House is fully aware, public services are delivered through people. The greatest single element in most public service expenditure is salaries. The obvious solution is to trim expenditure to the bone. If one is not to lay off staff, which would be a disastrous policy in my view, one must operate in the area of salaries.

The issue at the core of this debate has been disingenuously misrepresented. I agree that political communications could have been somewhat better. However, it seems we are taking a particular issue out of context, twisting the reality and trying to use the discontent which exists for purely political purposes. That is damaging to the nation and the State and it does not serve to help anyone in the House who proposes a way forward.

The situation has been well explained by the Minister for Finance, who had to take into account that the pay of the grades involved had been reduced already because of the suspension of the schemes of performance related play. The Minister had to ensure such people would not bear a disproportionate amount of the cuts. It is wrong, therefore, to use this debate in the way it has been used. I am surprised and not a little disappointed this is the case.

I will take considerable pleasure in supporting the Minister in this matter because he is aiming to create justice for all workers. There is no easy way out. There are no easy solutions or magic wand. A person who came into this House in a blaze of glory some time ago left skulking in recent days because he found out that fact. The Members who moved this motion are aware that is a fact as well.

See this speech in context