Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

Among the measures that we in Sinn Féin proposed in our pre-budget submission was the capping of salaries in the public service and the semi-State sector and also a reduction of 25% in professional fees paid by the State. Between the two sets of measures there is the potential to save the State in excess of half a billion euro on its current outlay. We accept, as do the public service unions, that there must be reforms to work practices to ensure greater efficiency where possible and improved services, which is what we want to see in terms of the public service as a whole.

Does the Taoiseach not agree that the continuation of the embargo on public service recruitment is proving counter-productive? That is something I have argued on many occasions. For example, there is ongoing evidence of the considerable cost of training nurses to a very high degree in this country, both in terms of general health and psychiatric health-----

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