Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

The clarification has been given by the facilitators. It is the expressed intention and expectation of the Government that there will be no further reductions in the remuneration of employees in the public service for the lifetime of this draft agreement, subject to compliance with the terms of draft agreement. Paragraph 1.28 of the draft agreement states that the "implementation of this agreement is subject to no currently unforeseen budgetary deterioration" and the Government has agreed that these terms will be applied in a bona fide manner by the Government side. Similar clauses have applied in previous agreements. It is not envisaged that the clause will be utilised on the basis of any currently known facts. The option of the draft agreement will itself give a measure of certainty about policy and spending that will assist in the process of economic recovery.

There is nothing that we see at the moment that will cause that clause to be invoked. There is an arrangement in the agreement that should unforeseen issues arise that are so serious they will call into question the whole economic recovery programme, the Government and the trade unions will discuss that issue and see what impact it has on the agreement. I want to make it clear that it is a term that has been used and understood from previous agreements. The clarification given by the facilitators does not have to be added to in this respect.

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