Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

As the authors of social partnership, we happen to have a belief in it. It is unfortunate we were unable to successfully come to an agreement before Christmas; that is a matter of regret. However, at the end of the day, the Government had a responsibility to discharge and we had to proceed.

Both the Deputy and I have acknowledged the extensive work of those talks. They set out a blueprint for a lot of reforms and changes that are agreed between the parties as being certainly possible, feasible and achievable. We have to find the right circumstances in which those talks can proceed and I am anxious to see if this is possible. We all know that with regard to any industrial relations dispute, it is necessary to find a realistic basis upon which we can engage. It should not be assumed by the Deputy that the Government is indifferent to this issue as the truth is quite the contrary. The Government is anxious to see an outcome because we do not believe that the industrial action will achieve the objectives it has set itself. The Government has had to work within a budgetary framework which has been clearly outlined. We have to find a way in which we can engage proactively with employees in the public and Civil Service to proceed with a modernisation programme which I believe is necessary and will be helpful in addressing the concerns currently being discussed by public servants and their representatives about ways of achieving reform that is responsive to the needs of the people and provides an arrangement for good working conditions for those working in the service. This has always been the broad agenda. The context and circumstances may change from time to time but the basic objective of Government is to have a common agenda set out against a settled industrial relations background, in which we can all work together for our mutual interest and satisfaction.

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